LPGA: The Good Ole Days? Have You Stopped Watching?

[Indy1954]

I know this is a touchy subject but I just want others opinion.

I used to watch the LPGA tour every week, watched it just about the same as the PGA sometimes more. But not anymore, I turn it on and see the leaderboard. If no one I like watching is on the 1st/2nd page I turn it off. Why, cause I know they only show the leaders and not players off the hunt even if they are popular players.

Fans want to see their favorite players no matter if they are in the hunt. When Tiger is playing but not in contention fans still want to see him and if they don't show him they'll turn to another program, same with the LPGA. If they're playing I want to see Lexi, Henderson, Cristie, Lincicome, Nordqvist, Stacy, Natalie, Wie, etc..

[Marty2019]

I watch the LPGA a lot more than I used to.  

1) I find the players a lot more attractive these days than they used to be.  I know that's kind of sexist, but there it is.  

2) I enjoy the slower swing speeds.  There are some really nice swings out there on the LPGA Tour.  

3) I don't care if Asians dominate the tournaments.  I like Asians.  

 

[Indy1954]

Reply to #1 I don't and to #3 I feel is the problem its not the US LPGA anymore. I agree they mostly play better but they need to show popular players more to keep my interest.

 

Edited February 15, 2020 by Indy1954

[Indy1954]

If I turn to a PGA event and the leaderboard is full on players I don't know I don't watch it. THis is the same with the LPGA. I like to watch good golf but I also want to see main players.

To try to keep the LPGA alive they've moved events out of the states, this is not helping.

 

 

Edited February 15, 2020 by Indy1954

[Marty2019]

1 minute ago, Indy1954 said:

If I turn to a PGA event and the leaderboard is full on players I don't know I don't watch it. THis is the same with the LPGA. I like to watch good golf but I also want to see main players.

 

 

But how would you ever know them if you don't watch them because you don't know them?  

 

 

[Indy1954]

4 minutes ago, Marty2019 said:

But how would you ever know them if you don't watch them because you don't know them?  

 

 

I would get to know them "IF" they would at least show popular players not in the hunt. THey have to keep my interest for me to be able to get used to new players. Here's an artivle that fully explains it, the LPGA may not like or agree with it but this is how many fans feel and why they stopped watching the LPGA.

Columnist Argues LPGA Tour Popularity Declining Because 'Too Many Gosh Darn Foreigners ... Specifically Koreans'

---

Why is the LPGA Tour's popularity declining?

 

[TRUCKER]

You don't find the players of today more attractive? I don't think we even have a discussion going forward then...🤷‍♂️

[Indy1954]

I hope this thread doesn't get ugly, its not meant to be. Some may think I'm racist for my views I'm not. My wife of 30 years is part Native American and I raised her son as my own and his father is Hispanic, I'm white. Point blank the LPGA needs to cuts down on the amount of foreign players

11 minutes ago, TRUCKER said:

You don't find the players of today more attractive? I don't think we even have a discussion going forward then...🤷‍♂️

I never said todays players where not attractive, I find them no more attractive then 10-20 years ago. We had some non attractive's back then as we have some today. The problem is not how attractive they are(sexist), its not showing the popular players even if they are not in the hunt to win.

[Indy1954]

Here's the point.

Say there's a PGA event near you, Tiger and Phil is scheduled to play. The day before the event Tiger and Phil pull out, would you still go. I wouldn't because I would be going to watch them play, this is why the LPGA is going down hill they don't show top popular players.

[Double Mocha Man]

9 minutes ago, Indy1954 said:

Point blank the LPGA needs to cuts down on the amount of foreign players

The LPGA Tour should have the best players available, if they want to play on it.  Simple as that. 

[Indy1954]

Here's a good example:

Today Tiger is tied for 55th but they are still showing him playing because that's what fans want to see.

Are they showing any other player tied for 55, "NO".

8 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

The LPGA Tour should have the best players available, if they want to play on it.  Simple as that. 

If the LPGA wants to stay alive in the US they need to show popular players, that's a fact. Otherwise they should move to a foreign country. And with all the events moved to out of the US that's just where they are headed.

You can't have a Professional sport without fans, and year by year the LPGA looses US fans.

Edited February 15, 2020 by Indy1954

[jmanbooyaa]

@Indy1954 I think I agree with you. I am a huge fan of the Solheim Cup. I find it hard to watch the LPGA in certain parts. Shorter coverage window and often never circle through who is on the course. 

The larger issue for me is what is going on with the US ladies. Often not competitive and therefore not seen on tv. 

[TRUCKER]

🤔...I see where you're going here...BUT, IMO, since Annika Sorenstam, the LPGA's G.O.A.T., retirement, the LPGA doesn't have, a "Tiger Woods" anymore. They are like the PGA Champions Tour. Basically a bunch of really great golfers, but no superstars. I thought when John Daly went to the Champions Tour, they would follow him like the PGA Tour does Tiger. Since they don't, I don't follow that tour to much.

[Indy1954]

Today Tiger is tied for 55th just made the cut and he is being showed, if he has a bad round and falls to last place you can bet your bottom dollar they will still show him Sunday.

WHY? Because the PGA and the TV producers know what fans want to see. If the LPGA doesn't follow these lines they will either be out of business or have to move to a Asian country to stay alive.

 

 

 

10 minutes ago, TRUCKER said:

 

10 minutes ago, TRUCKER said:

🤔...I see where you're going here...BUT, IMO, since Annika Sorenstam, the LPGA's G.O.A.T., retirement, the LPGA doesn't have, a "Tiger Woods" anymore. They are like the PGA Champions Tour. Basically a bunch of really great golfers, but no superstars. I thought when John Daly went to the Champions Tour, they would follow him like the PGA Tour does Tiger. Since they don't, I don't follow that tour to much.

Yep, I don't watch the Seniors cause they don't show John, he's a big fan draw. I was at Crooked Stick when he won the PGA and got his and Squiggies atougraph on my hat..

Even when Tigers game stinks they show him, its what fans want. The LPGA does have players fans want to watch( Lexi, Henderson, Cristie, Lincicome, Nordqvist, Stacy, Natalie, Wie). THey just need to show them that is my complaint. I would watch if they showed them, even if they not in the hunt to win.

Edited February 15, 2020 by Indy1954

[Indy1954]

Right now Woods is 5+, last place and THEY ARE STILL SHOWING HIM!

WHY? Because fans want it....

The LPGA needs to take lessons from this.

[ncates00]

22 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

The LPGA Tour should have the best players available, if they want to play on it.  Simple as that. 

The problem is simple--golf on the whole already isn't that popular when compared to other mainstream sports.  The LPGA's level of play is inferior to the PGA Tour.  Therefore, if someone is not willing to watch golf already, why would they watch even worse golf than the golf they already skip?  That's not to demean the women's game--I watch it fairly frequently.  I swing similarly to the fastest lady players, with respect to speed, and watching them is like watching someone swing as fast as me, but actually play good golf haha.  It's inspiring. 

That said, the product is inferior to the Tour and always will be because the skill of the players is lacking.  It likely always will.  There simply isn't a compelling enough of a story that could emerge that would make up for the comparative lack of ability of the LPGA v. the PGA Tour, or any other men's tour for that matter (however, you could argue there are better "stories" on the LPGA than lower level men's tours).

It's the same reason why no one watches the WNBA and yet the NBA is the hottest product on the market.  I think I read somewhere that the WNBA Championship in recent years had less attendance and viewership than a regular season NBA game.  This is isn't difficult to fathom the reasons for it.  Better athletes playing at better levels against the best competition.

14 minutes ago, TRUCKER said:

🤔...I see where you're going here...BUT, IMO, since Annika Sorenstam, the LPGA's G.O.A.T., retirement, the LPGA doesn't have, a "Tiger Woods" anymore. They are like the PGA Champions Tour. Basically a bunch of really great golfers, but no superstars. I thought when John Daly went to the Champions Tour, they would follow him like the PGA Tour does Tiger. Since they don't, I don't follow that tour to much.

They never had a Tiger Woods.

29 minutes ago, Indy1954 said:

If the LPGA wants to stay alive in the US they need to show popular players, that's a fact. Otherwise they should move to a foreign country. And with all the events moved to out of the US that's just where they are headed.

Even that will not fix the LPGA.  See reasons above.

[TRUCKER]

4 minutes ago, ncates00 said:

The problem is simple--golf on the whole already isn't that popular when compared to other mainstream sports.  The LPGA's level of play is inferior to the PGA Tour.  Therefore, if someone is not willing to watch golf already, why would they watch even worse golf than the golf they already skip?  That's not to demean the women's game--I watch it fairly frequently.  I swing similarly to the fastest lady players, with respect to speed, and watching them is like watching someone swing as fast as me, but actually play good golf haha.  It's inspiring. 

That said, the product is inferior to the Tour and always will be because the skill of the players is lacking.  It likely always will.  There simply isn't a compelling enough of a story that could emerge that would make up for the comparative lack of ability of the LPGA v. the PGA Tour, or any other men's tour for that matter (however, you could argue there are better "stories" on the LPGA than lower level men's tours).

It's the same reason why no one watches the WNBA and yet the NBA is the hottest product on the market.  I think I read somewhere that the WNBA Championship in recent years had less attendance and viewership than a regular season NBA game.  This is isn't difficult to fathom the reasons for it.  Better athletes playing at better levels against the best competition.

They never had a Tiger Woods.

Even that will not fix the LPGA.  See reasons above.

Yes they did, Annika Sorenstam.

[ncates00]

Just now, TRUCKER said:

Yes they did, Annika Sorenstam.

Haha ok. 🤦‍♂️