Playoff drama on the PGA Tour should help new contract deal

[franky21]

I have to say this has turned out to be a very very exciting season so far. I can't remember the last time there has been so many sudden death holes played in such a short period on time,10 of the last 20 tournaments to be exact. For a time that the top players in the world really aren't playing well it is very good for the tour and us fans. Players are going out there and winning it not losing them. Toms putt on the 18th was just amazing to watch. I have to say i am really liking the direction that the tour is going because there has been some entertaining golf played. I have to admit i was worried because Tiger wasn't playing well and he really did bring alot of entertainment  and drama to the course when he played, but the pga tour hasn't lost a beat. This is really big for the pga because new tv contracts have to be signed at the end of 2011 season, cbs,nbc and abc lost close to 50 million dollars last year due to drop in ratings so it is great to see all of this drama filled golf being played to start the season. There has been 5 consecutive tournaments that have went to sudden death, im sold please sign here on the dotted line.

[Zeph]

Only problem is that the playoff represents 20-30 minutes of the total coverage over 4 days. The tournament was not especially entertaining until the last 4 holes. I love playoffs because of the drama, but they could use something during the rest of the tournament that makes more entertaining to watch.

[jamo]

I don't know if this is a specific "direction" the Tour is going in. Playoffs are sort of freak happenings.

[Kieran123]

I don't know. Zeph is right. The 4 days were average until the last 4 holes.

I think it is more exciting to have the likes of Tiger or Phil coming from behind on a Sunday to win, or 2 guys battling it out for 4 days or someone just dominating the course the entire tournament

Playoffs are great, but you can't bank money on them being a regular occurrence. Certainly no contracts would be signed with the 'hope' of consistent playoffs. That's a silly risk for a lot of money.

[sean_miller]

It's getting to be more and more like the NBA. You only need to watch the last 1/2 hour of coverage.  Typically I tape (yeah, I said tape) it and start watching when Peter Jacobsen's shift is over.

[Clambake]

Playoffs and sudden death are fun for many fans, but the Tour still needs its top marquee players to be in the hunt and make it interesting (and lucrative) for TV.     While the ending of the Players was fun for die hard fans, those aren't the fans that the Tour needs to get watching TV to improve the ratings - they need the casual fans who want to see how Phil or Tiger or Ernie are doing in a charge for contention, but who would otherwise not tune into a golf tourney.    Those aren't the fans that are salivating over a Toms/Choi playoff with Goydos in the mix.

Also, the TV broadcasters HATE playoffs even if there is excitement for the fans - it costs them a lot of money.    It messes up their regular programming following the tournament, and they lose commercials for that program and then advertising revenue for that follow-up program drops without seeing an increase in revenue of the tournament advertising.   It further impacts revenue on the follow-up programming in that people won't get hooked on the next show right when it is supposed to start so the ratings for that show drop further, meaning the broadcaster has to rebate the advertisers whose commercials do get shown.   Playoffs also cost them a lot in overtime dollars for all the crew (driven by pretty strong union contracts).

[bplewis24]

I just don't see these playoff rounds having any meaningful impact on TV contract negotiations or sponsorship deals for the next few years.  While I bet ratings are up from last season, I doubt they are anywhere close to what they were 3-5 years ago.

Brandon

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by franky21

. . . cbs,nbc and abc lost close to 50 million dollars last year due to drop in ratings so it is great to see all of this drama filled golf being played to start the season. There has been 5 consecutive tournaments that have went to sudden death, im sold please sign here on the dotted line.

Do you have random thread generator program? A playoff in event nobody was watching (theoretically) may add drama, but has no bearing on the number of viewers week to week. People watch golf when there's an imporant event, with a great field, on a course they like, and the weather is nasty outside. A potential playoff at the end just cuts into the next program (the results of which were eloquently oulined earlier).

[Shorty]

Here we go again...

If anything, it would have the opposite effect, because the playoffs interfere with programming schedules as they make the telecasts go overtime.

For a lot of people. playoffs are an anticlimax, and they certainly don't add viewers because they're already there.

Whether we like it or not, the thing the networks want is Tiger playing on a regular basis. That will fix their ratings, because a lot of spectators want to watch Tiger. They aren't that interested in golf but they do like watching him.

I'll pretty much watch anyone play golf, but you aren't going to entice new viewers who aren't golf fans by saying "Hey. Last year we had a dozen playoffs with guys you've never heard of in them!"

[newtogolf]

My thoughts exactly, the PGA Tour won't see any extra cash for playoffs.  The best chance the PGA has for getting more money for their television contract is Tiger getting back to his old form (thus the rumors Finchem pressured Woods to play) or someone else stepping up to dominate.

With Choi, Toms and Goydos at the top I doubt anyone except diehard golf fans cared who won, playoff or not.  Television contracts will only go up if the PGA can deliver a larger audience or greater percentage of key demographics to the networks so they can jack up advertising rates.  The way things are going the PGA needs to be prepared to take a cut in their revenue from television.

Originally Posted by sean_miller

A playoff in event nobody was watching (theoretically) may add drama, but has no bearing on the number of viewers week to week. People watch golf when there's an imporant event, with a great field, on a course they like, and the weather is nasty outside. A potential playoff at the end just cuts into the next program (the results of which were eloquently oulined earlier).

[clubchamp]

Originally Posted by Shorty

Here we go again...

If anything, it would have the opposite effect, because the playoffs interfere with programming schedules as they make the telecasts go overtime.

For a lot of people. playoffs are an anticlimax, and they certainly don't add viewers because they're already there.

Whether we like it or not, the thing the networks want is Tiger playing on a regular basis. That will fix their ratings, becuase a lot of spectators want to watch Tiger. They aren't that interested in golf but they do like watching him.

I'll pretty much watch anyone play golf, but you aren't going to entice new viewers who aren't golf fans by saying "Hey. Last year we had a dozen playoffs with guys you've never heard of in them!"

I agree with this statement except for it doesn't really have to be Tiger. If DJ, Rory, Kaymer, Fowler etc were able to go to the next level and make a run it would bring viewers. The problem is I don't think anyone will ever be able to dominate like Tiger did for years. The tour just needs someone to be the hero and villain like Tiger did I mean some people liked seeing him win while others loved watching him lose but they all made sure to watch.

[Harmonious]

My feeling is, regardless whether Tiger returns to form or not, the TV contract will be less than before.  I can recall when the current contract was finalized, many wondered why the Golf Channel would spend so much, and whether the ROI would be enough to warrant what they paid.  For the contract going forward, the TV execs no doubt have to factor in that Tiger will not be around forever (he's 35 going on 55). The expected Tiger factor just won't be there in a couple of years, probably, if it ever returns.

All that said, the TV networks make their money by selling ad time to luxury and business sponsors, those that depend on a higher income demographic. That's why you see Cadillac, BMW, FedEx, ETrade, Schwab, IBM ads rather than Bud Light ads.  For the core sponsors like those, Tiger really doesn't matter. The casual tournament watcher, who only tunes in when Tiger is in the running and at no other time, does not necessarily play golf and would have no interest in many of the sponsor's products or services. So while the number of total viewers goes up, the important demographic group does not change. They tune in to watch golf because they play golf, they have money, and they buy the stuff the sponsors are selling.

I'm generalizing, as I'm sure the networks want more viewers, but they are savvy enough to know who their core audience is, and golf has never had high ratings, compared to other major sports. But, so long as there are good tournament fields in good locations, made up of good golfers, there will be golf viewers. However, if the time comes when there aren't enough viewers, in the networks' opinions, there may be weeks when no golf is shown on TV. It used to be that way, not so long ago.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

My thoughts exactly, the PGA Tour won't see any extra cash for playoffs.  The best chance the PGA has for getting more money for their television contract is Tiger getting back to his old form (thus the rumors Finchem pressured Woods to play) or someone else stepping up to dominate.

With Choi, Toms and Goydos at the top I doubt anyone except diehard golf fans cared who won, playoff or not.  Television contracts will only go up if the PGA can deliver a larger audience or greater percentage of key demographics to the networks so they can jack up advertising rates.  The way things are going the PGA needs to be prepared to take a cut in their revenue from television.

Adding Goydos is the only way that playoff could have been more boring.

[ThominOH]

If TV coverage continues to be this poor, I'll continue to watch less and less..   I love the sport, but I refuse to endorse these major networks to spin their own drama just to make a buck.. NBC, CBS or Golf Channel could care less about the sport or the players.. All they are concerned with is making money.. The biases announcers are enough to choke me.. Half of them are a complete TURN OFF.. NO wonder why our beloved sport is losing interest, closing courses and more.. The people promoting it NBC, CBS and others are horrible at their job.. The good ole boys country club network has got to GO..

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by clubchamp

I agree with this statement except for it doesn't really have to be Tiger. If DJ, Rory, Kaymer, Fowler etc were able to go to the next level and make a run it would bring viewers. The problem is I don't think anyone will ever be able to dominate like Tiger did for years. The tour just needs someone to be the hero and villain like Tiger did I mean some people liked seeing him win while others loved watching him lose but they all made sure to watch.

Agree on DJ and possibly Fowler, but I don't think a foreign star is going to command the viewership necessary to get more big TV contracts.  McIlroy is young enough to have a crack at it if he won often enough, but it would still be less than what a comparatively successful American would, methinks.  Not saying it should be this way, but I have a feeling that's just how it is.

Brandon

[newtogolf]

A foreign star might not command U.S. viewership, but the real problem is he would be too big a risk for the networks since their contract is with the PGA Tour for multiple years and a foreign star could opt to not play on the PGA Tour just like McIlroy and Westwood did this year.

Originally Posted by bplewis24

Agree on DJ and possibly Fowler, but I don't think a foreign star is going to command the viewership necessary to get more big TV contracts.  McIlroy is young enough to have a crack at it if he won often enough, but it would still be less than what a comparatively successful American would, methinks.  Not saying it should be this way, but I have a feeling that's just how it is.

Brandon

[ThominOH]

I feel the networks need to stay away from promoting a "star" or "rival" thing.. All this does it push the public to focus on those 2 things and nothing else matters.. One of the biggest reasons that March Madness in the NCAA is so big, and well viewed is because it's a wide open field.. within reason.. In addition if you corner yourself with a couple stars, then any time they are not in the tourney of that week, which is more to happen then not, you lose the public interest.. Just like what they did with Tiger.. The media pushed the Tiger agenda so hard, that now when he's not there, most viewers turn off, not because he's not there, I believe more because they don't know anyone else..

Each week my wife ask me who's winning.. She only knows a few names like Phil and Tiger.. When I tell her Dustin Johnson, she gives me that deer in headlights look saying, "Who's he?".. The media and PGA need to start promoting the sport and league, NOT just a couple main stars..

[newtogolf]

In an ideal world I'd agree, it would be much better for golf if they could promote the sport without focusing on a few individuals but it's tough.

The NBA has tried to do this and hasn't been able to since Michael Jordan retired.  The NCAA Tournament is a single elimination tournament in a sport where the nations Top 68 college basketball teams compete.  On top of school loyalty and given basketball typically draws higher ratings, the tournament viewership is also increased due to office pools and gambling.

Golf, especially to people that don't play regularly isn't that exciting to watch.  I'm not sure how you get more people excited to watch it, especially when two guys like Toms and Choi are at the top of the leaderboard.  I see golf, tennis and even NASCAR having similar issues.  NASCAR is trying to promote teams, but despite their limited success Earnhardt Jr and Danica Patrick are still their best known drivers.

Originally Posted by ThominOH

I feel the networks need to stay away from promoting a "star" or "rival" thing.. All this does it push the public to focus on those 2 things and nothing else matters.. One of the biggest reasons that March Madness in the NCAA is so big, and well viewed is because it's a wide open field.. within reason.. In addition if you corner yourself with a couple stars, then any time they are not in the tourney of that week, which is more to happen then not, you lose the public interest.. Just like what they did with Tiger.. The media pushed the Tiger agenda so hard, that now when he's not there, most viewers turn off, not because he's not there, I believe more because they don't know anyone else..

Each week my wife ask me who's winning.. She only knows a few names like Phil and Tiger.. When I tell her Dustin Johnson, she gives me that deer in headlights look saying, "Who's he?".. The media and PGA need to start promoting the sport and league, NOT just a couple main stars..