Golf World’s Ron Sirak broke the news on what could be the New LPGA forming. MIXED SIGNELS
This looks to be the last year of the LPGA SBS Open a Turtle Bay Resort
….the LPGA is taking a calculated risk for the 2010 schedule by signing a lucrative new deal for the Korean television rights to LPGA events with J Golf, a subsidiary of Joongang Daily News. The new partner means severing a 15-year relationship with the Seoul Broadcasting System, and losing the SBS Open after the season-opening tournament at the Turtle Bay Resort in Hawaii.
This was probably a necessary move on the LPGA part to survive. Let’s hope the quality stays the same.
The contract with J Golf, which has yet to be announced by the tour or the network, but details of which were obtained by Golf World, is a multiyear deal likely worth in excess of $4 million annually, according to sources familiar with the negotiations. That is up significantly from the $2.25 million SBS says it paid to broadcast 30 events in Korea this year. Asked if his company would continue to sponsor the SBS Open when coverage moves to J Golf next year, Sang Y. Chun, president and CEO of SBS International, said: “Absolutely not.”
Whatever it takes to keep the ladies in Golf works, but will the deal last? Guess we will see how this all plays out.
Only time will tell if the move away from SBS to J Golf is a smart one. I know the LPGA is trying to increase fees and revenues but sometimes that direction causes more fall-out in the long term than the money received can offset.
The one thing the LPGA needs to hope and pray for is a healthy rivalry among top players and Michelle Wie being one of those in the mix. Her visibility will do a lot for the LPGA.