Women's British Open Broadcast (a rant)

[Harry Longshanks]

So, I was setting my DVR to record the golf broadcasts for the upcoming week, including the women's final major, the Women's British Open.

On Thursday, 2 hours on TNT
On Friday, 2 hours on TNT
On Saturday, 1.5 hours on ABC
On Sunday, 2 hours on ABC

2 hours a day is bad enough for a regular tournament - the men get 3. But for a major, it's just shameful. And 1.5 hours for the third round is just insulting. Mind you, this is on the same day that the Senior Open get 5 hours of coverage on NBC.

Moreover, because of the time difference, they could show the Women's British very early in the morning live without losing any programming (not that there is anything particularly important going on that day on ABC - oh wait, the kids can't miss their "That's So Raven" in the morning.)

With those kind of time restrictions and the time delayed broadcast, I doubt it will be possible to even assemble any sense of drama. It will just be putt after putt after putt, occasionally interupted by a "commentary" and frequently interrupted by commercials.

I figure we get, what, maybe 2.5 hours of actual golf out of the whole thing? For a major.

Any bets on whether it's in HD?

[soxngolf]

I could not agree with you more. Golf coverage for the LPGA is embarrassing. A few weeks ago the Sunday coverage of a tournament was from 1-3, we didn't even get to see the leaders finish. Why, why would you do that? During the NBC coverage of the US Open, they broke in during the winning putt for a weather update.
I originally thought the LPGA made a huge mistake when they signed their deal with the Golf Channel to air most of their tournaments. I am not a fan of their coverage, but at least they show 3 hours on the weekend. I can't believe the lack of coverage daily for the Open. You are right, we will just be seeing putts. I mean, come on, this is a MAJOR! If the Golf Channel didn't have most of the tournament, we most likely would not be seeing them at all.
The only good thing about the British Open coverage is that we will get to have Judy Rankin commenting on ABC.

[BigJim13]

I hate to say it, but the reason they do it the way they do it is....drum roll please...

-because nobody watches it.-

[soxngolf]

Maybe part of the reason that the LPGA doesn't have the numbers that the men's tours do is because the coverage is so bad? If they were given a chance to show more golf during better hours their ratings would go up. It is like having a good sitcom on at a bad time, they never have the chance to gain an audience.

[BigJim13]

Originally Posted by soxngolf

Maybe part of the reason that the LPGA doesn't have the numbers that the men's tours do is because the coverage is so bad? If they were given a chance to show more golf during better hours their ratings would go up. It is like having a good sitcom on at a bad time, they never have the chance to gain an audience.

I would tend to agree. Another problem I see is marketing. How much did you hear about the PGA and the British Open? Tons! I didn't even know that the women's British was this week. If the LPGA was serious about gaining popularity there would be more marketing outside of the normal target audience.

It wasn't until my daughter was born that I started paying slightly more attention to women's sports,

[King Par]

I agree with you in every point. I enjoy watching women's sports, from hockey to golf. But I also agree with the fact that it doesn't bring in a lot of numbers and networks are going to show what brings in the most viewers, regardless of the message it sends out.

When the US Open was on, with the playoffs and interviews afterwards, it pushed everything on NBC back an hour and change, did NBC care? No, because there were tons of people watching. However, with women's golf, they don't bring in a lot of numbers, hence the fact that there is limited coverage.

[JEFF4i]

Honestly I prefer the LPGA to the Champion's Tour, and yes, for just the golf.

I wish they'd have better coverage.

[Clugnut]

Originally Posted by JEFF4i

Honestly I prefer the LPGA to the Champion's Tour, and yes, for just the golf.

I wish they'd have better coverage.

Me, too. I'm sitting here watching the Senior Open, wishing it was the Ladies Open.

I think the LPGA is very entertaining. Those girls are good, and watching their game helps mine more than watching the PGA.

[ClairefromClare]

In general, there seems to be much unhappiness with Caroline Bivens (the LPGA commissioner). It's certain hard to see what her primary goals in that role are.

I read someplace--probably not a reliable source--that unlike either of the men's tours, the LPGA has to pay to be broadcast. How pathetic is THAT? And don't even get me going on the size of the purses...

[Harry Longshanks]

I think a lot of the unhappiness with Bivens came from the tournament hosts and sponsors, because Bivens implemented more of a PGA-type business model:

• Requiring tournaments to pay for the electronic scoreboards that dot courses (before, the Tour splits those costs – about $30,000 each – with the sites)

• Imposing a sanction fee of $500,000 on new tournaments that want to be added to the LPGA’s schedule;

• Reorganizing tournaments into a schedule that benefited the LPGA, rather than the tournament organizers;

• Hiring a "branding coach" to help players with their images

When she first took office, everyone was complaining, but I haven't heard much recently. I think partly because the LPGA image is one the rise, and so are purses.

I know that the LPGA used to buy air time and then sell advertising time during it's broadcasts, but I don't know if that is still the case. I hope that is one the way out as well, and that the networks realize that women's golf is a marketable product.





P.S. I'm watching my DVR of the Evian Masters and they are interviewing Paula Creamer after her disappointing round. She is smiling and sounds fine, but her mascara is smudged and you can tell she's been crying. Arrggghhh, makes my heart hurt.

[soxngolf]

I agree, at first there was a lot of complaining, from who I don't know. But, when Annika announced her "stepping away from the game" she said that she thought the LPGA was in good hands with a good commissioner. So I think the players are happy with her and that can only mean good things. Like I said, I originally thought the Golf Channel contract was a bad idea, but I can only remember one tournament all year that wasn't broadcast in the US. At least we are able to watch them, even if it is on the GC.

[mddubya]

Originally Posted by BigJim13

I hate to say it, but the reason they do it the way they do it is....drum roll please...

-because nobody watches it.-

Speak for yourself Jim, i happen to enjoy watching the ladies play. Now granted, if Paula, Natalie, Morgan or one of the other, uh....., cuties isn't being shown, my attention may wane, j/k. The ladies have game, I was initially drawn to the LPGA by the hotties, , but I enjoy watching them make spectacular shots now just as much as the men.


no offense intended Sox,

[soxngolf]

Originally Posted by mddubya

Speak for yourself Jim, i happen to enjoy watching the ladies play. Now granted, if Paula, Natalie, Morgan or one of the other, uh....., cuties isn't being shown, my attention may wane, j/k. The ladies have game, I was initially drawn to the LPGA by the hotties, , but I enjoy watching them make spectacular shots now just as much as the men.


no offense intended Sox,

None taken, I watch Adam Scott for the same reason!

[mddubya]

Originally Posted by soxngolf

None taken, I watch Adam Scott for the same reason!

Touche, fair enough.


Yep, I can see already I'm going to enjoy you ladies being here.

[Harry Longshanks]

Originally Posted by soxngolf

None taken, I watch Adam Scott for the same reason!

Eff'n Adam Scott. Wreckin' the curve for the rest of us.