From the perspective of the golf industry (to paraphrase Dickens), he’s the best of representatives and the worst of representatives.
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If statistics bear out, had Tiger Woods not been leading or in the hunt on Sunday, the ratings for CBS Sports broadcast of the PGA Championship would have been 25 to 30 percent lower. Most of the millions of additional households who watched during the weekend probably weren’t avid golfers who might not give a hoot about Woody Austin or Stephen Ames. They were more likely average schmucks … maybe even nongolfers who were simply fascinated by the man’s sheer charisma.
Those are the “bubble” golfers who might or might not play depending on time, money, interest, etc. When Tiger wins a big one, at least the interest part of the equation is more likely to be there. In that sense, everyone who makes a living in this damned silly business owes Eldrick Woods a debt of gratitude every time he collects another major championship.
On the other hand, he’s a serial club-slammer who occasionally forgets microphones are everywhere and says bad words over the public airwaves (as he did at least once on Sunday). Maybe now that he’s a dad, he’ll begin to remember that perhaps millions of kids are watching every move he makes and listening to every word he says. Yes, Tiger, you do have a responsibility as a role model … even when you shank one.
The other issue that worries me is his pickiness about which tournaments he will grace with his presence. He only plays the majors, the semimajors and events with sponsor tie-ins (Buick). Wouldn’t it be nice if he developed a rotation to participate every few years in nonTiger tournaments like Milwaukee, Greensboro, Deere and others? Fat chance, I know, but a guy can dream, can’t he?
That said, the real trouble with Tiger is his charisma can fade. In a way, what Tiger brings to the business now is similar to what Wayne Gretzky brought to hockey 15 years ago. Gretzky’s singular talents excited everyone, and hockey suddenly had a high profile, lots of TV time and profitably franchises.
Just take a look at where hockey is today, and you’ll understand why we can’t rely on the Tiger phenomenon forever. The question is, what – or who – is next?
Pat Jones is president of Flagstick, LLC.
