Whistling Straits will have to wait until '21 to host the event in hopes that fans can attend thenryder cup
The PGA of America and the European Tour today announced that the Ryder Cup will be postponed until '21, which is the "right call" largely due to the "likelihood that fans would have been unable to attend" the event at Whistling Straits this year, according to Kyle Porter of CBSSPORTS.com. There was "speculation that the event could be played in back-to-back years so that the European Tour, which realizes a lot of its revenue from this event, could stay on a more consistent cycle." That "will apparently not be the case." Golfers "roundly rejected the notion" of playing the Ryder Cup without fans "considering spectators play such a large role in the atmosphere of the event." Many "were insistent that it would be ridiculous to hold a Ryder Cup under such conditions" (CBSSPORTS.com, 7/8).
DETAILS OF THE MOVE: ESPN.com's Bob Harig noted it was "not an easy call." First, there was the "matter of forgoing significant television rights fees this year, spectators or not." The PGA of America is "already scheduled to play the PGA Championship, held Aug. 6-9, without fans, a huge financial hit to the organization." Then there was the issue of "moving a European Ryder Cup, scheduled for Italy in 2022, back a year." The European Tour "relies significantly on profits from home Ryder Cups to operate on an annual basis." Not to be "forgotten is the PGA Tour." Although the tour has "no stake in the Ryder Cup, its players are participants." After taking a "huge financial hit in 2020," the "idea of forgoing a lucrative Presidents Cup could not have been pleasant." It is "unclear whether a financial arrangement between the PGA of America and PGA Tour was reached" (ESPN.com, 7/7).
EASY DECISION: ESPN Radio's Trey Wingo said the Ryder Cup is the "only sporting event that I know of where professional athletes play for basically nothing." ESPN Radio's Mike Golic Jr. said the Ryder Cup is an event where "golf and crowds are uniquely situated and uniquely a part of the experience for this so having it hopefully in an environment that will be after some type of vaccine is available where people will be able to be out there and attend this and give it the full scope that we're used to would probably be the best version of this for everyone involved" ("Golic & Wingo," ESPN Radio, 7/8). CNBC's Joe Kernen: "This makes sense to golf fans because I can watch these guys play without crowds in just a normal tournament, but not in the Ryder Cup. That's the whole deal with the Ryder Cup" ("Squawk Box," CNBC, 7/8). Golf Channel’s Robert Damron said, “We all love the Ryder Cup, we want to see it, but the thought without fans … it would just be devoid of any emotion at all.” Golf Channel’s Anna Whiteley said the Ryder Cup “is not the Ryder Cup without fans" (“Morning Drive,” Golf Channel, 7/8).
