The "dispute" between Tiger Woods and the PGA Tour is
not over, but Woods said yesterday from Spain "that the main
issue is not money," according to Clifton Brown of the N.Y.
TIMES, who cites Woods as saying that the "time had come to
protect his marketing rights, as well as the rights of other
players." Woods: "It's not about getting a cut of the TV
revenue, it's about doing what's right by the players. The
players and the PGA Tour have been bucking heads on a lot of
issues. The public has no idea we do it, but we do it all
the time." Woods' IMG agent Mark Steinberg added of
Mercedes using Woods' image in ads nine different weeks this
year around the Mercedes Championships despite Woods
endorsement deal with Buick, "Say you feel that the Mercedes
ads are O.K., which we personally don't. When you win nine
times, do you have to congratulate somebody nine times?
Tell me if that's right." Steinberg added that Woods was
"unlikely" to ask for a percentage of the Tour's new TV
deal. Steinberg: "That's something you'd basically need a
constitutional amendment for that" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/10). The
AP's Doug Ferguson wrote that Woods "stood his ground" on
his comments. Woods: "A lot of guys feel this way on tour.
We're just wanting to get our rights back, and not having
these implied endorsements. There's a lot the public
doesn't understand and doesn't know about" (AP, 11/9).
FELLOW PLAYERS MOSTLY AGREE: Greg Norman supported
Woods in USA TODAY and noted the issue of the Tour using
players' images for marketing purposes: "It has been brought
up in the past. It's not in the closet. It comes to the
forefront each time you have a new star on the Tour. ...
When I sat down to talk (with Tour officials) about these
issues, I got nowhere. It's very frustrating. You're
forced to the public with this" (USA TODAY, 11/10). Ray
Floyd said he agrees with Tiger "100 percent. ... [The Tour
uses] our images in marketing with companies that compete
against those we endorse. It's one thing to use them solely
in conjunction with promoting the Tour, but when you put
them with a company that sponsors a Tour event or something
like that, then I don't think it's right and I've never
thought it was right. All the top players have complained
about that" (NEWSDAY, 11/9). But Andy North wrote of Woods,
"I can understand where he's coming from. Yet historically,
golf's best and biggest names have always bought into the
Tour concept. ... The issues ... may need to be addressed,
but not in the media" (ESPN.com, 11/10).
CRITICS: In Toronto, Bill Lankhoff writes, "Instead of
Woods complaining about the tour using his image for
advertising, maybe he should consider it an investment in
the future well-being of the game, his fellow pros and
himself" (TORONTO SUN, 11/10). In Philadelphia, John
Smallwood: "Tiger is not the PGA [Tour]. He is part of the
PGA [Tour]. He is not, and should not be made, bigger than
the game. ... Woods should have a say in how his image is
used, but the PGA [Tour] shouldn't stop using a Woods
highlight or image to promote itself just because Tiger
doesn't have an advertising relationship with some company"
(PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 11/10). In DC, Tom Knott adds
Woods is "the giant who looks small in this, who, in his
next power grab, just might want to consider whether to
charge ESPN by the highlight" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 11/10). In
AZ, Dave Eubank: "There is a word for Tiger's tirade. It's
called greed" (AZ DAILY STAR, 11/10). In Chicago, Ed
Sherman: "It didn't have to come to this. With a little
more finesse, these disputes could have been settled behind
closed doors. Allowing Woods to fire the cannon is a
mistake" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 11/10).
WHAT IT ALL MAY MEAN: In S.F., Gwen Knapp wrote that
PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem "should feel his oxygen
supply dwindling right about now. ... Woods' complaints
signal a coup-in-the-making" (S.F. EXAMINER, 11/9). ESPN's
Mike Greenberg, on Woods' father, Earl saying that Tiger
could take his game to Europe or Africa or Asia and "the
world will follow": "Truth is, he's probably right"
("SportsCenter," ESPN, 11/9). FSN's Kevin Frazier: "When
Michael Jordan took his licensing rights away from the NBA,
it really wasn't that big of a deal. Now that Tiger Woods
is hinting that he may make a similar move with the PGA
Tour, everyone is freaking out." Frazier called it Woods'
"prerogative ... more power to him" to get control of his
marketing rights ("NSR," FSN, 11/9). ESPN.com's Mark
Kreidler: "When push comes to shove, the PGA [Tour] will
wind up showing Tiger a little more love, and Tiger in turn
won't talk anymore about taking his own slice of the next TV
contract" (ESPN.com, 11/9). ESPN.com's Ray Ratto wrote
Woods' "image is taking the same kind of beating that Greg
Norman's took when he wanted to organize a worldwide super-
tour. ... At least that's what the PGA Tour would like to
think" (ESPN.com, 11/9). TSN Senior VP/Programming Keith
Pelley said that the use of player images in commercials
promoting events "is a non-story." Pelley: "We met with the
PGA Tour in Monaco (last) weekend, ... and there was not one
conversation about it. ... If we have Tiger Woods in an
event, then we're going to promote it. Unless the PGA Tour
says otherwise" (TORONTO SUN, 11/10). Sports Business
Group's David Carter: "Woods has been an ATM machine for the
PGA since he's arrived. ... His primary customer is
corporate America, despite what a lot people might think.
He needs to protect those relationships" (CNBC, 11/9).
