LPGA's '09 Schedule Hit Hard By Economy, Losing Events, Money
The LPGA today announced its '09 tour schedule, and it reflects "fallout from the economic downturn that is seeping through the entire sport," according to Larry Dorman of the N.Y. TIMES. Next year's schedule features three less tournaments than this season, and total purses are down about $5M. LPGA Commissioner Carolyn Bivens said that the SemGroup Championship presented by John Q. Hammons, which this year was played from May 1-4 in Tulsa, and the Ginn Tribute, played from May 29-June 1, will not be on the '09 schedule. Bivens added that Safeway has pulled its sponsorship from the March 27-30 Safeway Int'l in Arizona and will "consolidate it into one event" at the Safeway Classic in Beaverton, Oregon. ADT previously said that it would not return as the title sponsor of the season finale, but Bivens said that the LPGA "hoped to move the event into a 2010 slot as the season opener." Bivens said of the state of the LPGA, "The headline for us, I would say, is that no renewal -- no partner, no sponsor, no contract -- is an automatic renewal. That means for us and for just about every other sports organization." The LPGA has increased tournament purses for the past three seasons and next year will "maintain its average purse per event" at about $1.8M. But its "major concern now is sponsorship renewal and negotiating expanded television contracts for 2010" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/19). In Tulsa, Jimmie Tramel reports, "Talks are under way about a possible LPGA pro-am or special event featuring LPGA players that could be held next year" at Cedar Ridge Country Club. Also, Octagon, which managed the Tulsa event, "will continue to work not only with the LPGA Tour, but also with the PGA Tour, USGA and PGA of America, to try to bring professional golf back to the Tulsa area for 2010 and beyond" (TULSA WORLD, 11/19).
NOT GETTING ANY EASIER: SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Jon Show notes the LPGA's "schedule forecast for 2010 could be more ominous given the state of the economy and the number of title sponsorships that expire" after next season. Tournament officials indicated that of the 24 tournaments sanctioned by the LPGA in the U.S. and Canada this season, "only five have contracts with title sponsors for 2010." But LPGA Senior VP & COO Chris Higgs said that it was "too early to be concerned about the potential holes in the schedule." Higgs: "We're cautiously optimistic." Higgs also noted that it was "too early to predict whether the economy would force reductions in title sponsorship fees," though he "hinted that was a possibility." Higgs: "Nothing is immune" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 11/17 issue).
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