LPGA Sara Lee Classic President Bill Cecil "does not
see a women's pro tournament" in Nashville's future,
according to David Climer of the Nashville TENNESSEAN.
Cecil: "I'm a realist and I don't see things coming into
place that will keep a tournament here after [this year's
event]." Sara Lee "will not renew its role" as title
sponsor after the May 14-16 event, and "no deal has been
struck" with a new title sponsor. LPGA Commissioner Ty
Votaw said the LPGA "wants to come back to Nashville -- no
question. But we need for things to come together
significantly in the next two months or so." Sara Lee
invested "more than" $1M into the event last year, but a new
title deal "might require less of a financial commitment."
Sara Lee "began seeking a co-sponsor" last year, but there
was a "lack of interest." Cecil: "I had hoped that somebody
would get involved and see what a success this tournament
is, and then they'd be ready to take over when Sara Lee
bowed out." Wendy's and Nissan were "among those who
expressed preliminary interest or ... were directly
approached" about a co-sponsorship (TENNESSEAN, 4/14).
THEY CLUB EACH OTHER: In Palm Beach, Al Tays wrote that
the golf business "has become dog-eat-dog -- or at least
dog-yap-at-dog. If companies aren't suing each other,
they're sniping at each other in their ads." Tays calls the
"three-way war" among Orlimar, Adams and Callaway Golf the
"most spirited rivalry" in the golf equipment industry.
Callaway CEO Ely Callaway, whose company is suing Orlimar
for a "false and misleading large-scale" ad campaign, said,
"We have questioned Orlimar's advertising practices for some
time." Orlimar President Jesse Ortiz, who fires "verbal
volleys at both opponents," said, "I've known for nine or 10
months that my buddies [at Callaway] were going to sue us.
Because they had a big problem with us kicking their butts
on tour." More Ortiz, on Callaway and Adams' criticism of
Orlimar ads: "These SOBs couldn't spell our name 18 months
ago. And now we're on everybody's mouth" (P.B. POST, 4/14).
