LPGA makes headway as it overcomes sponsorship woes
LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) Tour is finally doing what it has long been expected to: boost the presence of women’s golf at global scene. However, the Tour has had to go through a great deal to prove its worth.
In recent years, LPGA saw its credibility deteriorate due to the lack of funds and sponsorships. However, it then improved, thanks to the sensible decisions of its officials.
LPGA is the overseeing entity of women’s golf and is headquartered in Florida, the United States. The responsibilities of LPGA include staging events on different courses.
Due to the massive involvement of US, LPGA has long been dominated by American players and officials — something several non-American players have always talked about.
The Tour went through rough times last season due to a host of issues. One of the biggest threats the officials faced was the lack of sponsorships.
Sponsorships play a pivotal role in staging events and the Tour officials often complained about not having sufficient money to conduct its activities.
LPGA officials were in serious trouble a couple of months back when they faced an unwanted situation: the cancellation of the Springfield event because there was no sponsor available.
The Springfield tournament is famous for its competitiveness among golfers and the cancellation of one of the prestigious events undermined the credibility of LPGA.
The news came as big shock to golf-crazy fans. A similar situation happened in early 2011 when another LPGA event, Imperial Springs 2011, was also cancelled, disappointing fans across the world.
The officials of the LPGA came under severe fire from players and observers, as the two incidents were debilitating enough to take a toll on women’s golf.
The Imperial Springs 2011 was slated to be played in China but the organisers came to know that Chinese officials had decided to cancel the tournament. The move from Chinese authorities raised concerns over the future of LPGA.
Commissioner of LPGA Michael Whan was quick to tamp down the fury, as he said that the Chinese officials cancelled the event for no apparent reasons.
However, he expressed his concern, saying the LPGA should have been given the permission to stage its tournament.
“Clearly, this is not an ideal scenario and certainly not news that the LPGA, our players or our partners expected just a few weeks away from the tournament,” Whan had said, while answering to a deluge of probing questions.
Sponsorship woes were the real reason that the LPGA had been unable to tap its true potential. Since women’s golf is not as famous as PGA, sponsors always dragged their feet in partnering with the LPGA Tour.
However, the situation appears to have reversed now, as the 2012 season has brought big surprises to the Tour officials. The Tour has succeeded in expanding its influence beyond the US and Europe.
Recently, Michael Whan visited several countries in Asia in an effort to arrange sponsorship deals and promote the sport.
Mike Whan was happy with the LPGA’s progress, saying this is the first time in decades the Tour is genuinely getting what it deserves.
“I would say in the last 15 years, LPGA has successfully gone global by bringing in players from around the world and by inviting sponsors from around the world,” Whan said.
He added that the women in Asia showed a flood interest in golf — a factor that can reel in more money in the form of the much-needed sponsorships.
“What I've said about the LPGA Tour is no matter where you're from or who you root for, on the women's side right now, there's something for everyone”.
It is being expected that the growing foothold of LPGA in countries like China and Taiwan will offset the negative impact caused by sponsorship issues.
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