This Is Why TGC Needs to Cover the Publinx

[Harry Longshanks]

Aaron Goldberg, who just finished his Senior year at San Diego State, was the medalist for the stroke play rounds at the 2008 Publinx in Colorado.

I had the chance to see Goldberg play at the NCAA Regionals this year. He's 5'8" and hits the ball a mile. Very solid game that impressed all of the college coaches. He carried the SDSU team at Regionals for much of the tournament.

So, why is that a compelling reason to insist that amateur championships like the Publinx be televised?

Because today in the first round of match play at the Publinx, the #1 seed Goldberg was beaten 5 & 4 by the #64 seed, Canadian Brady Johnson - a Junior at BYU.

It doesn't get much more compelling than that.

[TCCcaddie]

I agree they should cover it. They could do pretty well with all those story lines you presented. And it beats watching infomercials for the hammer.

[Bo the Golfer]

Couldn't agree with you more-TGC seems to be on either end of the sprctrum with their programming-most weekends it's all the golf you could ask for but you would think they could jam a few hundred less informercials down our throats and show more amateur, women's, junior, college.......etc.

[iacas]

The USGA would have to sell the rights to Golf Channel. It's not like they can just show up and say "we're covering this!"

[underparnv]

I'm hoping they do eventually get this on TV somewhere. I really don't care where. That way, when I actually qualify, I can say I was on national TV!!!

In other news, the guy that qualifier at my site (Rod Butler) is one down with four to play. Come on Rod!!!

http://www.usapl.org/scoring/match/0121.html

[RemyM]

Well there are some things to consider here:
1. Perhaps the USGA doesn't want it televised.
2. TV productions cost money. Is it compelling enough that people will pay to advertise during the coverage and will those dollars cover the cost of production.
3. Ad rates are based on ratings. While the event has no competition today, how many people will choose to watch that instead of the Open Championship on Thursday and Friday.

[gogolfing]

Well there are some things to consider here:

Totally agree with points 2 & 3 above. It's a business decision. There are hard core golf fans here at TST who would love to see it but not so for the casual fan; ratings and the cost of getting the rights from the USGA probably don't add up for TGC, and they are a business after all. I would love to see it happen, but am not holding my breath.

[Harry Longshanks]

Why wouldn't the USGA want it televised?

If GolfWeek.com can afford to stream holes from the NCAA finals, I'm willing to bet TGC could do a low budget broadcast of the Publinx. It's not like anyone expects Protracer or "the Emmy Award winning Mutual of Omaha Putting Line powered by AimPoint." Just throw a few cameras on the course. Work with local stations. Advertisers would surely pay at least as much for air time as they do for the 80th repeat of "Top 10" or "The Approach" You are right that it wouldn't stand a chance against the Open, but the dates aren't always the same. Besides, I would still watch a delayed broadcast.

Totally agree with points 2 & 3 above. It's a business decision. There are hard core golf fans here at TST who would love to see it but not so for the casual fan;

Do non-hardcore fans watch The Golf Channel? I mean, it is an entire channel dedicated to a single sport after all. I would think the people who watch any programming on TGC other than Th. and Fri. PGA would watch this. And I'm certainly not suggesting that TGC replace PGA or LPGA broadcasting.

Do you think less people would watch it than watch the Nationwide Tour? I would think more, because its a championship, and only on once a year.

[MunkeyGolfer]

Seeing some of those scores makes me wish I was there watching. I played that course a couple weeks ago and man was it hard.

[Harry Longshanks]

Seeing some of those scores makes me wish I was there watching. I played that course a couple weeks ago and man was it hard.

I was thinking that as I read the Course Setup:

COURSE SETUP USGA Course Rating® for the APL Championship at Murphy Creek Golf Course is 76.3 and USGA Slope Rating® is 146. Tees, approaches and collars, height of grass – just below .5 inch Fairways, height of grass – 0.5 inch Putting greens, height of grass – 0.120- inch with a speed of 11 feet on USGA stimpmeter Primary Rough – 3 inches Fescue Rough – 4 inches Intermediate Rough – 1.5 inches (six feet width)

[iacas]

Why wouldn't the USGA want it televised?

They may, but you're ignoring the fact that ESPN/ABC likely have full rights to it. The USGA, I believe, sells the rights to all of their championships. They don't sell them off individually. Part of the contract has requirements that ESPN/ABC not only show the U.S. Open (the only real money-maker for them as I understand it) but also a minimum amount of a few other USGA events, like the U.S. Women's Open, the U.S. Senior Open, and that's about it.

Thus, it's up to ESPN/ABC to cover the other events, and they likely deem the Publinx not worthy of covering, and since they have the contract, others can't just broadcast it. Would be a violation of their rights.

[joshtpa]

Actually, Erik is very close. But my contact at ESPN has told me that when they signed their contract with USGA, the Publinx was not included. He did not believe they own the rights to it. I just spoke to him, and his exact words were "there is nothing else in sports going on today" of course we would have shown it." Take it for what it is worth, but those are his words.

[RemyM]

Why wouldn't the USGA want it televised?

So it retains its feel of being a public course players championship.

[Harry Longshanks]

The upset of the day in match play at the 2008 APL:

#18 seed Kyle Leach, a junior at Bellarmine University in Louisville, KY, beat #2 seed and 2008 Phil Mickelson and Ben Hogan Award winner, Rickie Fowler from Oklahoma State - 2&1.

On Friday, Leach will face #26 seed David Johnson, a Senior at the University of Central Florida in the Quarterfinals of match play.