The Senior PGA Tour is in the "final stages" of
negotiations on its cable TV rights package, according to
Geoff Russell of GOLF WORLD, who writes that the
"commitment" of players Tom Kite, Lanny Wadkins and Tom
Watson to the Tour has become "crucial" to getting what one
TV exec calls "a ridiculous amount of money." The cable
exec noted the Tour "has definitely ratcheted up their
numbers" and is "banking on Wadkins, Watson and Kite,"
despite the fact that their arrivals on the Tour haven't
generated "that much excitement." Russell cites sources as
saying that current partner ESPN is not willing to pay the
Tour's proposed asking price. With the Senior Tour's ESPN
ratings dropping 14% in '99, Russell writes, "With 29 events
in 2000 -- 23 of which they produce exclusively -- the value
of nostalgia golf simply isn't worth the price the tour is
asking in dollars, advertising and promotional time."
Further "complicating matters" is the fact that one of the
Senior Tour's main sponsors, Cadillac, will "probably reduce
its commitment, meaning another major sponsor ... would have
to fill in the gap." Russell writes that PGA Tour officials
"do not seem too worried by ESPN's attitude," as there is
apparently "healthy interest by other potential broadcast
partners," including CNBC, TNN and The Golf Channel. PGA
Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem has set a "late March-early
April deadline" on the talks (GOLF WORLD, 2/18 issue).
SENIORS ARE HEALTHY: Finchem said he is "very pleased"
with the outlook for the 2000 Senior Tour, as it has seen a
20% increase in ticket sales (PGATour.com, 2/16). Finchem:
"In the short term, the Senior Tour is doing very well. In
the long term, things look even more promising. We got Tom
Watson out here last year, Lanny Wadkins and Tom Kite this
year. ... Interest in the Senior Tour clearly is at an all-
time high" (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 2/17).
