The USGA, PGA & LPGA understand golf is a sport, not a political weapon. Why doesn’t the rest of the sports world? Leading up to and during this past weekend’s Women’s U.S. Open, held at Trump National Golf Course in Bedminster, N.J., the USGA, LPGA, players and executives demonstrated great restraint. Rather than opine on political matters, they stuck to the business of putting on a major sporting event. Perhaps that’s because golfers and golf viewers tend to lean right of center, or perhaps it’s because leadership strongly suggested that public comments be limited to the course and the competition. Whatever the reason, congratulations to them for having the discipline to stay focused on what sports fans want to see and hear when they tune in. Golf fans (and all sports fans) want to watch the competition. In terms of golf viewership, that’s somewhere between 1.5 and 13 million of us per event. If we are in the mood for political commentary, we can switch the channel to any number of networks that dedicate 24 hours every day to the subject.
The major golf associations (USGA, PGA, LPGA) are governing bodies that make and enforce the rules of competition in golf, but they are also in the business of providing content to viewers and spectators. Through their media partnerships and corporate sponsors, they put on championships, generate prize money, and drive the industry. As a result, they generate significant income for players and other entities associated with these events. In 2016, the total LPGA purse value was slightly more than $63 million. They also generate huge amounts of revenue for charities in every city in which they hold an event. In 2016, the PGA tour raised a record $166 million for charities. All of this is possible because these sports organizations understand something fundamental: The sports industry relies on fans, spectators, viewers and players. Without attendees and viewers, the business models fall apart. Like any healthy business, the customer is at the center.
With this is mind, why would a sports league attempt to use its sport as a weapon for politics? Sports fans, golfers included, come from all political persuasions. Why jeopardize your relationship with the customer over political issues? See the NBA and NCAA’s boycott of North Carolina over the bathroom bill or the NFL’s handling of the Colin Kaepernick national anthem issue as recent, but not isolated examples. Why potentially alienate at least half (likely more based on consumer data of sports fans and viewers) of your audience?
We’ve been asking that question of ESPN, NBA, NFL, NCAA, and other sports organizations of late. No matter your personal views on social or political matters, using the resources of a sports organization or the resources of a media company to advance an agenda seems a flawed strategy. And there is emerging data to support that thesis. In nearly every measured television market, center right viewers are leaving ESPN. Deep Root, a TV data service, recently analyzed 43 markets across the US and compared 2015 audiences with 2016 audiences. In 36 of the 43 markets, ESPN viewership had become more liberal – between 5% and 27% more liberal in 2016 than in 2015.
To those of us who want our sports delivered free of political commentary, we salute the USGA and LPGA. Now please have a talk with your organizational cohorts at the NFL, NBA, and NCAA. We sports consumers/fans would like to have our sports back. Sport has always been a common denominator in our culture. Regardless of race, age, sex, education or political affiliation, sport is a unifier. That needs to be respected. With all of the balkanization that exists in the other parts of our lives, let’s leave sports alone. We’ve already surrendered higher education, arts, music, media, and film-making to progressives. You can’t have sports, too.