League Notes
 |
Reports Have PGA Tour Close To Making
'09 FedEx Cup Playoffs More Conservative |
GOLF CHANNEL's Brian Hewitt reported PGA Tour officials, title sponsors and players are "close to agreeing on a series of proposals that ... could make the 2009 FedEx Cup 'more volatile' than it was in 2007 and 'more conservative' than it was in 2008." Golfer Zach Johnson said that Tuesday's conference call with PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem, members of the Players Advisory Council and other officials was "very brief" but "very healthy." Hewitt noted the Tour is looking for a way to "guarantee that the big prize will still be undetermined before the Tour Championship starts." There is "also a desire to re-tweak the system so that certain top players make it to the top 30 at the Tour Championship." Nine players that began the Playoffs in the top 30 this year did not qualify for the Tour Championship, "in part, because of the increased volatility" (GOLFCHANNEL.com, 11/4).
ECCLESTONE DOWNPLAYS RACE ISSUE: In London, Liz Byrnes reports F1 Management Chair Bernie Ecclestone has "played down the racism row" around driver Lewis Hamilton, "insisting it has been blown out of proportion." Hamilton was "abused during pre-season testing" in Spain this February, as some spectators "were pictured mocking Hamilton by wearing wigs, dark make-up and t-shirts with the slogan 'Hamilton's Family.'" Also, prior to last weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix, "hundreds of abusive messages were posted on a website in Spain, many of them racist." Ecclestone: "People look and read into things that are not there. All those things are all a bit of a joke and people are entitled to support who they want to support. I don't see why people should have been (insulted by it). These things are people expressing themselves" (London INDEPENDENT, 11/6).
CHEAPER ALTERNATIVE? In Montreal, Pat Hickey noted the MLS average attendance this season was down 1.8% and while league revenues were up, fans "have to wonder how much of the increase comes from selling expansion franchises." MLS in the past "concentrated on strengthening its existing franchises and cautiously added teams," but recently "seems to be addicted to expansion, because it knows it can fleece prospective owners." Hickey: "Why would anyone want to invest in a business that is stagnant at best?" Montreal, which is bidding for an MLS expansion team, "might be better off joining Vancouver, Ottawa and some of the other cities seeking MLS franchises and starting a league of their own or shoring up the existing USL." They would "save money on the franchise fees and would be able to give their fans a more affordable product" (Montreal GAZETTE, 11/5).
|
