PGA Tour Chief Competitions Officer Tyler Dennis said Theo Epstein does not have a formal role with the tour Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Longtime baseball executive
Theo Epstein will play a “critical role” in how the PGA Tour goes about charting a path forward.
Epstein made a
presentation to the tour’s Player Advisory Council last month about how MLB went about implementing its various rule changes, which have led to quicker game times and increased attendance.
“We’re going to use Theo basically to help us fully understand what the process that Major League Baseball went through to think about what’s the best version of the PGA Tour,” said
Tyler Dennis, the tour’s chief competitions officer. “Every sport’s different, golf’s not immune to that, but he’s going to play a critical role in helping our team lead a project forward.”
As a partner in Fenway Sports Group, the tour has access to Epstein through FSG’s involvement with the Strategic Sports Group. Epstein does not have a formal role with the tour, Dennis said.
“The point was our players were highly engaged and the question is, what is the best version of the PGA Tour,” Dennis said. “We’re going to continue to tap into Theo’s knowledge.”
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Dennis spoke on several other issues surrounding the tour:
- On negotiations with Saudi Arabia’s PIF: “Our focus is solely on a very positive outcome for the PGA Tour and the game, and everything we’re doing around the discussions, which are positive, is really focused on that. We really want this to be the right thing for the fan.”
- On interest from current and potential sponsors: “The sponsorship base that we talk to is extremely energized by the PGA Tour and they’re seeing a high degree of value in it. Things are going well.”
- On viewership in men’s pro golf: “You have to look at it through a few different lenses. ... We’re just about halfway through (the season) and it’s always hard to look at things at points in times, you have to kind of take the bigger picture. ... But the bigger thing is the whole landscape is changing. And our fans are consuming golf and other sports in new and different ways, and that’s where we want to make sure we continue to evolve and invest in a way that we can meet them where they are.”
