League Notes
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Beem Says Expansion Into Asia Way For
PGA Tour To Compete With European Tour |
Golf Channel's "19th Hole" featured a discussion on the Champions Tour potentially expanding to Korea, and the net's Vince Cellini said of the possible move, "I think situations dictate now that all tours are going to have to reach out and do what they have to do economically." GolfChannel.com's Rex Hoggard: "The Tour has to jump into this market wholeheartedly. It’s the future of the game. It’s a booming construction over there." Meanwhile, golfer Rich Beem discussed potential PGA Tour expansion into Asia. Beem: "For us, taking our tour overseas and expanding it is definitely one of the ways that we can start competing with the European Tour a little more so. I think if you look at the game of golf, it’s going global and I don’t think there’s any reason why the PGA Tour shouldn’t explore the option of going overseas to Asian markets" ("19th Hole," Golf Channel, 5/27). Golfer Jeff Sluman said the Champions Tour has received "a lot of interest from multiple places around the world, and Korea is very interested right now" (GOLFWEEK, 5/30 issue).
TAKING THE TORCH: In DC, Mark Zuckerman reported Int'l Baseball Federation (IBAF) President Harvey Schiller and MLB "have come to an agreement that would limit the number of major league games played directly opposite Olympic games," and MLB Commissioner Bud Selig "promised there would be no big league games going on simultaneously with the gold-medal Olympic game." But whether the IOC "buys the argument and brings baseball back in 2016 remains to be seen" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 5/26).
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: In Philadelphia, Bill Fleischman writes fans should give NASCAR "credit for inviting drivers and team owners to a meeting to discuss ways to improve the quality of racing in the Sprint Cup series." Fleischman also suggests several improvements to the Series, including to "shorten the length of races." Fleischman: "Five hundred miles at Daytona is fine. ... But some races, such as Pocono's, are just too long." Other suggestions include giving cars "more brand identity;" finding a way to "create more passing on the tracks;" and to "loosen the leash on the crew chiefs" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 5/28).
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