I’m taking this (almost) completely out of context, but in a recent interview Tom Watson called out what he calls the “Tiger Tour”:
“The regular tour is basically a Tiger Woods tour, and some people say that’s getting old,” Watson said. “But our tour doesn’t get old. Every year you have new names coming out. That makes it new and exciting. People will tune in to see how Seve Ballesteros does or to see how Mark O’Meara does. That gives us great viability.
The most important thing about our Champions Tour is that every year somebody of note comes out, usually more than one or two. That gives a new story every year about the tour.”
Watson was, of course, simply trying to hype the steady influx of new (and yet familiar) players onto the Champions Tour. But there’s definitely an edge in those comments.
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I think Watson is pretty accurate in the fact that the Champions tour gets instant name recognition because of the new players.
I also think he is correct in calling it the Tiger tour because he can be 9 shots back and ESPN is still showing highlights of Tiger.
It takes alot of courage to speak frankly in this manner. Tom has taken a great risk. While PGA players do owe alot of their financial success to this “Tiger phenomenon”, it has had the effect of putting the game second to Tiger.
What sickens me is the rush to move his name up any leaderboard. If he sits in 8th place, his name is at the top of the 8’s, and always on the board, unless he is totally out of it. The board is almost always showing him.
Do other players put the money in their pockets above respect for themselves and the game. Why else would they not more often show distain for how is is pushed ahead in the que. If they do lack self respect, it is a good explanation why there is always a last minute collapse, leaving the contender-pretenders shaking in their golf shoes.
I am afraid Tom will pay for this, but I think he has done the game a great service. I hope others find inspiration.
I wonder how much the Champions is suffering from the increased coverage of the PGA on the Golf Channel. I almost wonder if it is time for a Golf Channel 2 for Nationwide and Champions coverage, especially the Thursday and Friday stuff. I would like to see more of the Pro-Ams covered too.
As for the Tiger tour, how can it be anything else? It is a little monotanous at times, but at the same time, how do you not show the #1 player in the world, especially when he is losing a tournament? Won’t most of the casual fans want to know how that is happening? This is so much a less valid complaint than six months ago, when it was becoming the Michelle Wie tour as she wiped out at every stop she made.
Despite all this Watson says, the Champions tour is struggling, sucking wind…
“Won’t most of the casual fans want to know how that is happening?”
Therin lies the problem. Indicating what Tiger has done, even when out of contention, every 30 seconds does serve the short-attention span “Tiger” fan who only watches the screen when Tiger is the subject – while this has become an annoyance for golf fans everywhere. Why pander to the fan that only knows of one player – due to the hype? Why not pander to the golf fan…the fan of the game…once in awhile? Do we really need Tiger updates every 30 seconds to explain
1)Why he is winning
or
2)Why he is not winning
or
3)Why he is not playing
or
4)Why he is not talking to the media
or
5)you get the story.