MatchPlay would be better for The Fed Ex Cup

[azgreg]

Match play is my favorite format in golf. I watched the entire match on tv for the US amature, and I never heard of either player.

[hurley9192]

Stenson vs. Ogilvy didn't turn out much for viewship and they were reasonably good players. Both were in the top 10.

One way to incorporate match play is to have the first week (the one between the PGA and FedEx cup be #80-144 and only the top whatever get into the FedEx Cup.

Or, you could have the set up the way it is, and then have the Championship be a 32 guy match play tourney. Same scenario though if Tiger and Phil lose early, then you have a final where it could be a couple guys like Slocum and Clark for the $10M. It would be exciting for them, but no Tiger and Phil on Sunday is bad for TV ratings.

[Frank-0-Sport]

Greetings ....

As mentioned in an earlier post within this thread , I have conjured up my own version of a one event match-play playoff.

You can check out the latest results for 2007 here »» 2007 Fantasy Playoffs Results

The results are based mostly on play in the actual ongoing Tour Championship - however, there are a few "upsets".

Thanx-A-Lot, Frank-0-Sport

Disclaimer -- The "2007 Fantasy Playoffs Results" link is to a web-page authored by me. This is not intended to be a promotion of my site, but rather a means of providing information and insight relevant to this particular SandTrap.com discussion.

[Cleveland Gunmetal]

OK... while Tim Clark vs Heath Slocum would be a really boring final, I can't imagine anything being more dull than this years Tour Championship and FedEx Cup "finals". Yawn. I'm glad football was on.

[Huddo]

Thought I would bump this thread to ask why we still don't have more matchplay competitions, especially for the top, say 16-32 players? Personally, I love watching the one v one battles ala Ryder Cup and believe more top level matchplay would break up the monotony of the stroke play schedule Everyone loves an underdog so I can't see what the problem would be if the top 10 players were not contesting a final.

[dkolo]

Thought I would bump this thread to ask why we still don't have more matchplay competitions, especially for the top, say 16-32 players? Personally, I love watching the one v one battles ala Ryder Cup and believe more top level matchplay would break up the monotony of the stroke play schedule Everyone loves an underdog so I can't see what the problem would be if the top 10 players were not contesting a final.

I think match play on Tour is interesting, and I always thought it was a good fit in February / March because of the connection to March Madness. A problem with doing it bracket-style is that it doesn't make for great TV at the end when it's for all the marbles. I mean, it can, like with Day / Dubuisson. But having two guys playing for the most part alone (they address this with a consolation bracket match the same time), there's a lot of dead air and watching dudes walking for 5 hours. You don't have the "let's cut to 16" or whatever you have with a full field and you're only stuck with the dead air when the tension is highest with the last groups or a playoff. Ryder Cup has a ton of matches going simultaneously.

I think match play is awesome, but it has to be in small doses or the right setup.

[Huddo]

I think match play is awesome, but it has to be in small doses or the right setup.

I agree, the right setup is essential, both for the TV companies and also the viewers.  I think it would need to be played over 3-4 days and have the semi's and final on the last day but as you said, there would be still be a lot of dead air.  Maybe it's a wish of diehard fans and not the masses?  I really hope that someone far more imaginative than me and who has an influence on how Golf is run, can come up with a way to get more match play on our screens.

[Aguirre]

Two factors:

1) The PGA tour and golf season is too long and too important to treat minimally in the Fed Ex Cup format.

2) Individual golf events are too random and too short to overweight for a season long award.

In conclusion:

It was a great idea, but the Fed Ex Cup is unworkable as a satisfactory athletic competition.  It stinks.

[Aguirre]

As a caveat, I will say that many of the match play suggestions in this thread are the best solutions I've heard yet.  But TV won't let it happen.

[SteveBamford]

I'd have thought that FedEx would have something to say about it. 4 weeks intense coverage becomes...........a few days. Not sure the Marketing Director would like the idea.