Organizers drop Kapalua LPGA Classic

[Mahbles]

Organizers of the Kapalua LPGA Classic in Hawaii have pulled out of their contract to host the annual LPGA event through 2012.

LPGA deputy commissioner Libba Galloway said Tuesday in a news release that the association is "extremely disappointed" with the decision not to conduct the event in October. She says the LPGA will vigorously enforce its legal rights under the contract.

The LPGA says the Kapalua Land Co. is the contract holder.

The company is a subsidiary of Maui Land & Pineapple Inc. It lost $70.6 million in the quarter that ended Dec. 31, compared with a $4 million loss in the prior year's same quarter.


That's a bummer. Another step back for the LPGA. If they don't have money to put on the event, how can they expect them to put it on?

[PEZGolf]

Organizers of the Kapalua LPGA Classic in Hawaii have pulled out of their contract to host the annual LPGA event through 2012.

They cannot expect it, but the LPGA probably has to sue. Otherwise, every sponsor that is losing money will want to break their contract. With this recession pounding every industry and many companies, especially those in the hospitality, land development, and real estate businesses, many sponsoring companies are in financial trouble. When a great company like Corning Glass hits the skids, and stops sponsoring the Corning Classic after 31 great years, it tells you how bad things are in the US economy. Every sport----football, baseball, basketball, NASCAR, etc is getting hammered. What is truly interesting is to watch what happens to player contracts as teams and companies tell them that they cannot afford them any more. Look at the new Yankee stadium and all the empty seats. Yet A-Rod still gets paid millions to bat .238. How much longer?

[Chilli Dipper]

There's an easy solution for all parties involved. Consider the facts:

• The Kapalua PGA Tour event's new sponsor for 2010 is the Seoul Broadcasting System, which sponsors the Turtle Bay LPGA event played in Oahu a few weeks after the Mercedes/SBS Championship.
• Women's golf is huge in Korea.
• Back in the 1980s and 90s, when it was called the Tournament of Champions and it was held at La Costa, the Mercedes/SBS Championship was contested on both the PGA and Senior PGA Tours, on different courses of the resort.
• The Kapalua LPGA Classic was held on the Bay Course, not the Plantation Course.

Move the event to January, at the same time as the men's tournament. Invite the previous season's winners, plus anyone else the organizers want to have compete (since the LPGA has fewer tournaments and a more top-heavy talent pool than the men's tour) Get the men's tournament's big Korean sponsor to foot part of the bill.

[wannabe]

They cannot expect it, but the LPGA probably has to sue. Otherwise, every sponsor that is losing money will want to break their contract. With this recession pounding every industry and many companies, especially those in the hospitality, land development, and real estate businesses, many sponsoring companies are in financial trouble. When a great company like Corning Glass hits the skids, and stops sponsoring the Corning Classic after 31 great years, it tells you how bad things are in the US economy.

Interesting. Maybe the US Gov't should step in and buy some franchises, leagues, tourney sponsorships. Seems like a natural progression to me.

/biting sarcasm

[Mahbles]

There's an easy solution for all parties involved. Consider the facts:

I love your idea, it certainly has merits. One of the reasons why SBS signed the 10 year agreement with the PGA Tour and Kapalua is because the LPGA spurned SBS for their Korean broadcast rights. In a nutshell:

LPGA wanted more money for their Korean broadcast fees and asked SBS what their offer was. SBS said $3.5M/year. LPGA went to a smaller, cable channel in Korea called Joong Ang (J Golf for short) and said, will you pay $4M/year? J Golf said yes. LPGA spurned SBS by going with a smaller tier cable provide because J Golf was going to pay more money. SBS says that if the LPGA asked, they would have paid $4M/year, but felt the LPGA shafted them. To give you a sense of scale, SBS is equivalent to CBS or NBC, while J Golf is equivalent to Golf Channel. So, since SBS got the shaft, they one-upped the LPGA by signing a 10 year agreement with the PGA Tour, solidifying the season-opening event on Maui, which hopefully will keep the Sony on Oahu. Was Kapalua contractually obligated to the LPGA to host four more events? Yes. Did Kapalua reach out to LPGA for assistance? Yes. They even asked to defer 2009's event, but wanting to do 2010-2012. I think the LPGA was thinking, "if we let you skip 2009, who's to say you won't ask to skip 2010?" A valid point. I know for a fact that there are other LPGA events hurting, and without a title sponsor. the IMG owned event in China, after the Kapalua event has no title and IMG wants out as well. The LPGA was a growing product, gaining popularity with every tour stop. It's truly unfortunate that the economy happened when it did. What's one to do? Flexibility is one way, the LPGA should work with tournaments to find a viable solution, reduce fees or something! Don't deny the public an opportunity to watch these ladies play, it's a great, great event. If you live near an LPGA event, I highly recommend you attend and support the players and the event!

[Shindig]

Move the event to January, at the same time as the men's tournament. Invite the previous season's winners, plus anyone else the organizers want to have compete (since the LPGA has fewer tournaments and a more top-heavy talent pool than the men's tour) Get the men's tournament's big Korean sponsor to foot part of the bill.

I like both your point and the pun. I would love it if multiple tours would host nearby events, or even at different courses in the same small area (e.g., resort) at the same time.

[CreamerFan]

I'm sorry, but I just get the feeling that Carolyn Bivens doesn't have a clue on how to run a major professional tour. Just one PR disaster after another and bad decision after another. As a fan of the LPGA I have no confidence that she's the right person for the job in these difficult times.

[PEZGolf]

I'm sorry, but I just get the feeling that Carolyn Bivens doesn't have a clue on how to run a major professional tour. Just one PR disaster after another and bad decision after another. As a fan of the LPGA I have no confidence that she's the right person for the job in these difficult times.

I agree with you, but the Board of Directors has continued to support her. I believe they are afraid to admit they picked the wrong person for the job of Commissioner.

[PEZGolf]

Look at the leaders in the Jamie Farr: Laura Diaz, Michelle Wie, Natalies Gulbis, etc. If the LPGA cannot market itself with these beauties playing great golf, that Tour has real problems.

[Elvisliveson]

Look at the leaders in the Jamie Farr: Laura Diaz, Michelle Wie, Natalies Gulbis, etc. If the LPGA cannot market itself with these beauties playing great golf, that Tour has real problems.

As lovely and noteworthy as they are, Wie, Gulbis and Diaz have 3 wins between them and only one in the last 6 years. They don't dominate, Koreans do. And many of the other LPGA hotties, like Blasberg and Rawson, are terrible and don't even make cuts most weeks.

[iacas]

As lovely and noteworthy as they are, Wie, Gulbis and Diaz have 3 wins between them and only one in the last 6 years. They don't dominate, Koreans do. And many of the other LPGA hotties, like Blasberg and Rawson, are terrible and don't even make cuts most weeks.

Yeah, I'm going tomorrow and I'm hoping someone I can relate to and understand wins the tournament.

[Elvisliveson]

Yeah, I'm going tomorrow and I'm hoping someone I can relate to and understand wins the tournament.

Have a good time. I have gone to the Sybase in NJ several times and have thoroughly enjoyed it.

I probably don't need to tell you, but my advice would be to just follow players you like or think you'd like without regard to who is leading. For example, Ochoa and Gulbis are paired together tomorrow; that should be a fun one, as they're old pals and tend to play relaxed in each other's company. And they will still be looking to finish in the top 5.