There was an interesting chap wandering the grounds last week at the Players Championship.
His name is Andy Gardiner and he is the CEO of the Premier Golf League.
You may or may not recall that the Premier Golf League was batted around long before Greg Norman joined forces with the Saudis to pimp the Saudi Golf League.
While Norman is taking a war-like approach with the PGA Tour, the Premier League wants to join forces with the PGA Tour and it is throwing around the magic word that surely gets the Tour’s attention — money.
The Premier Golf League originally presented an alternative format and huge money offers going back some eight years. Gardiner has quietly been working behind the scenes to garner support.
The proposal is for 54-hole events with an individual and team component of 48 players and guaranteed money each week and would come under the umbrella of PGA Tour Inc., the non-profit organization that operates the PGA Tour, along with several others, including the Korn Ferry Tour.
In a letter sent to the PGA Tour Policy Board in February shared with some prominent players said Premier Golf League, which is part of the World Golf Group based in London, outlined a plan that would generate significant equity value for all voting PGA Tour members, as well as those on the DP World Tour and the Korn Ferry Tour.
“This reaffirms our desire to share, equitably, the value to be generated by the Premier Golf League and to collaborate with the PGA Tour Inc. in a manner that is both consistent with its principal mission and in the best interests of its members,’’ wrote Roger Maddock, chairman of World Golf Group Ltd.
According to the report by Bob Harig, one of the proposed incentives for the PGA Tour to take the PGL’s deal are amendments to its non-profit status, and granting the Tour 50% ownership in the new league. Other incentives include committing 10% to the PGA Tour staff, broadcast partners, Korn Ferry Tour and other involved agencies, with another 10% committed to a foundation with the goal of growing the amateur game. The remaining 30% would go to the World Golf Group, the parent company overseeing the league.
Gardiner said he projects the PGA Tour would be worth $5 billion by 2029.
“It’s really a rebalancing as we see it,” Gardiner said. “There is no loss of income potential for those who remain n the PGA Tour.”
So what does this Premier League tactic do to Norman and his Saudi cohorts?
Well, it’s bad news for Norman and The Crown Prince.
How receptive will the PGA Tour be to the Premier Golf League overtones?
Stay tuned on that.
Cam Smith Picks Time With Family Over Match Play:
After winning The Players, Cam Smith was overjoyed to spend some quality time with his family.
His mother and sister had flown in from Australia — he hadn’t seen them in two years — so it came as no surprise when he decided to withdraw from next week’s WGC-Match Play event at Austin Country Club.
“Regretfully, I have decided to withdraw from next week’s Dell Match Play,” Smith said. “We had a long extended week at The Players and I just needed a little break.”
“Came down to more time practicing ‘or’ an extra couple days with my family,” Smith said. “Easy choice.”
3 Comments
baxter cepeda
Omg. This is a crowded party. This seems to have less steam than the LIv golf thing. But yes these are potential partnerships the pga tour brass seems to be sleeping on thru fear, which some may interpret as greed that can get to the obnoxious level.
Tom Edrington
Well, the Premier CEO was at Tour headquarters during The Players — what does that tell you — PLUS — it’s a huge money inceptive for the Tour and its members and that’s what talks in their world.
baxter cepeda
Tells me the pga tour was always in a position to work with people trying to bring huge money into the sport, which would help the sport catch golf up with what other sports pay athletes, which would help retain top golfers in the future. But the tour snoozed thinking they were untouchable so they didn’t need anyone so now we have this mess of excessive competition for the top golfers.