Call me cynical, but I always cringe when I hear language like this:
“The game is evolving and requires bold and unique approaches on many levels.”
I worry. I worry a lot. Golf is way different from other sports, thank God.
If fans screaming “It’s in the hole!” a nanosecond after impact, and emphasizing delivery of the product as opposed to the product itself is the definition of evolution, we are at a very dangerous crossroads. The money alone is scary. Bigger is not better. As the quote at the beginning of Golf In The Kingdom states:
“The game was invented a billion years ago. Don’t you remember?”
I’ve always loved Bud Grant’s comment when asked about the Minnesota Vikings moving into the Metrodome: “Progress is something we just have to put up with, I guess.”
Well, actually, we don’t have to. FOX and the USGA had better dwell on that reality as they define “evolution.” It isn’t all about innovation and money. It’s about tradition and soul.
-Guy Green, former assistant executive director of the MGA.
Why is Green worried? Because on August 7, the USGA announced it’s new partnership with Fox Sports 1 in regards to U.S. Open coverage that will commence in 2015.
The deal for the new sports network which will debut on August 17, is believed to be priced at $100 million a year. It includes 146 hours of golf coverage, 70 of which will be coverage of the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open, and U.S. Senior Open. The rest will be devoted to other USGA Amateur events such as the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Amateur Four-Ball. In a statement to the Associated Press, Fox Sports 1 said they are “committed to elevating coverage of the USGA events on every level, infusing them with a new energy and innovation that will make every championship the best golf event on television.”
For some, the change could be seen as going against the game of golf, which is heavily packed with tradition. Fans have been listening to Johnny Miller comment on U.S. Open play since NBC’s contract started in 1995. For the younger generation, the move can be seen as a way to gather new viewers to the sport.
Will Fox Sports 1 be able to grasp the tradition in the game? Or will they craft a flashy and glamorous show for Fox Sports enthusiasts?