Who watches the LPGA Tour?

[zipazoid]

To toss a little possible controvery into the discussion -

I think the LPGA has an 'identity' problem with the influx of Korean golfers. When a typical leaderbard has a half dozen players named Kim, it's hard to identify.

Please don't take this wrong. They're great players. And for those of us that love the game, they're great to watch. But it's hard to gin up enthusiasm with the masses with a leaderboard that reads like a Korean phone book.

[AmazingWhacker]

I watch the LPGA from time to time and dont think it needs any changes.  I think the LPGA will always have a hard time competing with the PGA for TV coverage so they should focus more on trying to increase attendance for thier tournaments.  But I think they should stick to the current, Thurs-Sun model and maybe just lower ticket prices, maybe do some give-aways, meet and greets, do more promotions  - like maybe a BBQ contest in conjunction or something along those lines.

[nevets88]

I usually watch the majors and the US Amateur events. If I had cable, I'd DVR the week to week tournaments, but I don't. They should offer Hulu like streaming to hook in more viewers.

[Ernest Jones]

What?...wait...is LPGA on TV???? Holy Crap! I had no idea.

[dsc123]

I'll turn it on when nothing else is on.  I'm not sure which side of that fine line I'm on, maybe i've got a foot on both sides.

[newtogolf]

I'll watch it when nothing else is on, but I'm not interested enough in the LPGA to dvr it.  I think most womens sports suffer in terms of viewership except womans gymnastics and figure skating during the Olympics and maybe womens tennis.

I don't know if the origin of the players is really hurting the LPGA, maybe others are more concerned about this than I am.  I like watching good golfers regardless of what country they are from except during the Ryder and Presidents Cup when I root for the pro's from the U.S.

[chriskzoo]

I don't watch (or only tune in for a hole or two) simply because it is an inferior product.  I am also amazed at how many times they hit horrendous shots due to pressure.  I forget what tournament it was last year, but even Tseng absolutely butchered 2 chip shots on the same hole when she was in contention.  Not saying the guys don't do it as well, but there's no comparison.

[boogielicious]

I watch it when it's on.  I like it because they hit similar distances as I do and I like to see how they approach the course.  I will never be able to hit like the men pros in terms of distance.

The issue with viewership is the same as other women sports.  Women are not watching the women's sports.  They don't get enough support from that half of the population.  I have heard, however, that sponsorship is up now that the economy is rebounding.

As for the influx of Asians, all of them seem to want to become Americans, so I have no problem with that.  Most of them live here anyway or go to US Colleges.

[mdl]

I think the women's tennis analogy is a good one.  The top women's tennis players strike the ball really hard, similar power to the men relative to their lower biological strength potential.  The big tournaments and majors have late round matches that are all women trying to hit winners by each other, not just spinning and chipping the ball back and forth until one makes a mistake or hits a perfect spinny drop shot or something.

The percentage of women golfers who play the former style, trying to hit the golfing equivalent of winners, instead of weak chippy shots with great accuracy, is too low.  I'll watch the LPGA when it's on, but I don't really enjoy watching players like Jiyai Shin or IK Kim.  Paula Creamer isn't quite as weak but edges that way.  When they're playing well I could watch the likes of Yani Tseng, Suzanne Pettersen, Stacy Lewis, Michelle Wie, etc., play all day.

On top of that, the drop off in talent is too steep.  In the men's game even the guys ranked 60-120 have the power and skill to get hot one week and contend, and with so many guys capable of putting on a good show each week, the leaders being shown on television are always playing top notch, and interesting to watch, golf.  In the LPGA I haven't found that to be true.

Bottom line.  If I want to veg out and watch some golf and the LPGA is what's on the golf channel, I'll watch for a bit.  But I won't go out of my way to watch like I sometimes will for a major or WGC event with all the top men's players in the world in the field.

[zipazoid]

Originally Posted by boogielicious

As for the influx of Asians, all of them seem to want to become Americans, so I have no problem with that.  Most of them live here anyway or go to US Colleges.

No doubt. But that wasn't my point.

My point was, it may be contributing to why the LPGA Tour isn't more popular than it is. Too many strange foreign names that doesn't equate to mass appeal. Me personally, I love how they play & they're very good. But it may be hard for Joe Six Pack to warm up to going to see the Half Dozen Kims battle it out.

[sean_miller]

I actually don't enjoy watching people hit hybrids from 150.

[mdl]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

I actually don't enjoy watching people hit hybrids from 150.

I'm generally too long winded, but this was exactly one of my points above.  There aren't enough players on the LPGA who are both spectacularly talented enough that it's worth watching (talent drop off is WAY steeper than on the PGA) and who don't play old man target golf but with such high accuracy that they can compete.

Yani Tseng (along with a few others) I can watch play golf though!

[boogielicious]

Quote:

But it may be hard for Joe Six Pack to warm up to going to see the Half Dozen Kims battle it out.

That's the marketing challenge that the LPGA has.  I know about 4 women golfers who love to play (wife included).  Only one of them likes watching golf, not my wife although she will watch with me.  I watch golf because I find it relaxing and I am trying to learn something.  Maybe the average viewer has different reasons to watch and that's what the LPGA needs to find.

The PGA has more of a wow factor because "These Guys are Good".  They hit amazing shots and make the ball do things most people can't.  It's a different level than the LPGA.

[twittek]

the number of tournaments they play in the US every year is on the decline.

[soon_tourpro]

Originally Posted by twittek

the number of tournaments they play in the US every year is on the decline.

they need an american star.

who can play the game as Annika did or Lorena.

the tour is depending on TV and such exposing and to get airtime they need some excitment.

watching a tall woman hit a 4w into a par 4 seems not so much exciting.

flashing boobs isnt the answer either.

[RPMPIRE]

I enjoy watching Yani Tseng play because of what's she's already accomplished at 22. Also, because my wife is Taiwanese so we both follow along.

The LPGA schedule is being reduced each year and because they don't play every week, you just forget that it's on sometimes. If you look at the PGA tour, there's an event each week (2 when there's a WGC tournament) and any golf fan can watch PGA pros starting every Thursday and on through the weekend and EVEN in the "off season" there's still an event to watch during the Fall Series.

If the LPGA can regain more sponsorship and build up their schedule, then viewership will grow. If they can get a more diverse leader board and see more than Korean flags on the first 2 pages, it will grow - just not at the level of the PGA.

[twittek]

this is my point, people only watch when there's nothing else on. no one wants to watch the ladies when the men are on, so why compete with the men on the weekends? between the PGA Tour, European Tour, and Champions Tour, there's plenty of golf to watch on the weekends...but nothing on monday, tuesday, wednesday. i pretty much just watch the ladies us open because i know the usga is on NBC, otherwise, i have no idea when and where to find the ladies. what's on the golf channel monday, tuesday, wednesday? golf news, highlights, instruction, maybe a replay from the men's 2000 us open for the 50th time. there's not much variety that's for sure. and i hate to discount the ability of the women, but men want to see hot woman play sports period, so by playing in college towns, they can promote the game and generate more interest from more attractive females. college kids don't have much going on most afternoons. the LPGA needs an identity and they need to accept the fact that most of their viewers are not watching for the skill aspect. so just be the "fun" tour.

[RPMPIRE]

The only problem with having the event entirely on weekdays is the event attendance is going to severely drop. TV viewership is probably going to rise (probably not by much), but it's going to hurt sponsorship if they can't sell any tickets to the actual event. If sponsors can't get a good return, they're probably not going to continue shelling out more money to put their name on any weekday tournament. I think the schedule is already suffering from huge gaps between events and it will hurt US viewership if more events are being pushed overseas.

Originally Posted by twittek

this is my point, people only watch when there's nothing else on. no one wants to watch the ladies when the men are on, so why compete with the men on the weekends? between the PGA Tour, European Tour, and Champions Tour, there's plenty of golf to watch on the weekends...but nothing on monday, tuesday, wednesday. i pretty much just watch the ladies us open because i know the usga is on NBC, otherwise, i have no idea when and where to find the ladies. what's on the golf channel monday, tuesday, wednesday? golf news, highlights, instruction, maybe a replay from the men's 2000 us open for the 50th time. there's not much variety that's for sure. and i hate to discount the ability of the women, but men want to see hot woman play sports period, so by playing in college towns, they can promote the game and generate more interest from more attractive females. college kids don't have much going on most afternoons. the LPGA needs an identity and they need to accept the fact that most of their viewers are not watching for the skill aspect. so just be the "fun" tour.