Did the LPGA capitalize on the ladies’s sports activities growth? Its stars reply

NAPLES, Fla. — The LPGA had its Caitlin Clark second. 

With Caitlin Clark truly. 

The WNBA mega star performed final week within the pro-am for the Annika match, named for Annika Sorenstam, one in every of its greatest names, whom Clark joined for 9 holes. The opposite half of the spherical, she walked alongside the LPGA’s closest model of her, Nelly Korda. There have been highlights. There have been tee photographs by accident hit into crowds. Golf was performed, and, by all accounts, golf was loved by each the gamers and people watching them. 

Notably, although, the spherical in Florida additionally began at 7 a.m. ET, with Golf Channel managing to indicate some stay play, because it began its “Golf At this time” present at 11 a.m., 90 minutes sooner than regular. Are pro-am rounds broadcast-worthy? No, most likely not, not even for probably the most buzzy of names. Ought to it one way or the other have been performed a bit of later? Possibly. Extra social-media ideas, particularly from the Midwest, the place Clark grew up and now performs professionally, wouldn’t have damage.   

The purpose right here is as an instance an even bigger image, although. 

Ladies’s sports activities is probably in its greatest growth. Clark’s introduced tens of millions of eyes to the WNBA, together with tens of millions of {dollars}, and perhaps most significantly, she’s had prolonged endurance, along with her title being talked about arguably for the previous two years now. There have been additionally the ever-popular Olympics this yr. In golf, Korda has ascended into uncommon air. There are the wins — seven now, probably the most by an LPGA participant since 2011, and probably the most by an American lady since 1990. However there’s her movie star, too. Korda was on the Met Gala. She’ll be within the newest Sports activities Illustrated swimsuit version. She’s doubtlessly reaching the purpose the place your non-golf pal has not less than heard of her, and your golf buddies may name her by only one phrase: Nelly.  

The query is, then, did her tour capitalize on that second, very like within the method Clark’s league did? Possibly you noticed a WNBA recreation, perhaps you didn’t. However you heard about Caitlin Clark, someplace, one way or the other, together with a number of the league’s different stars and groups. 

It was a thought requested this week of a handful of the LPGA’s stars, together with its commissioner, forward of the CME Group Tour Championship, its season-ending occasion, the place its winner will acquire a report $4 million, and that unarguably sits in the excellent news column. There’s extra there. On Wednesday, the tour launched its 2025 schedule — which shall be its seventy fifth season — that’ll function 35 occasions and a prize pool of $131 million, which, in accordance with the tour, is a $62 million improve from 4 years in the past, and all tournaments will even be broadcast on both Golf Channel, NBC, CBS or ESPN+. In fact, like each sports activities league, the LPGA has made its errors, too. There was a well-documented fan transportation downside on the Solheim Cup. Cognizant, which backed the Founders Cup, shouldn’t be among the many sponsor names on subsequent yr’s schedule. There have additionally been questions concerning the job efficiency of the tour’s commissioner, Mollie Marcoux Samaan, which Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols expertfully described right here, in an article revealed final week.  

Briefly, issues occurred — however did issues occur in addition to they might have? Admittedly, it’s a troublesome query to ask of stakeholders. You wish to imagine in the place you’re employed. However you need what’s greatest for it, too. That stated, these items take time, and what you see in the present day or subsequent yr could also be constructing towards one thing extra. For readability, I’ll embrace full exchanges, and observe the place they happened — one-on-one interviews can sometimes provide totally different responses than formal press conferences, which happen beneath the lights, happen in entrance of a number of tour officers and are shared on transcripts accessible to anybody with web knowledge. To some gamers, I additionally requested what their want checklist could be, and I additionally requested an identical query to Terry Duffy, the CEO of the CME Group.   

In a sentence, the solutions had been blended. 

Did the LPGA capitalize on the ladies’s sports activities growth?

Angel Yin 

With Nelly, with ladies’s sports activities usually, the Caitlin Clark rise in ladies’s basketball, there was a chance for the LPGA to seize that second. Do you suppose they’ve accomplished a very good job of that?

“No,” stated Angel Yin, talking to me one-on-one.  

Why do you say that?

“Gosh, it simply doesn’t really feel prefer it,” she stated. “It’s an opinion. Like Caitlin Clark coming over to our match created a crowd, created a buzz — didn’t really feel prefer it obtained on the market sufficient. Went out to a specific amount of individuals. However I don’t know, like I stated, to offer an in depth reply, I’ve to love — I wish to be extra accountable with my solutions so I simply don’t wish to communicate. But when you need to ask how I really feel about that, I don’t actually suppose we’ve capitalized that a lot. Simply using the wave that different persons are doing and we’re simply related to ladies. Sadly, I don’t suppose we have now accomplished sufficient.”

(Editor’s observe: Yin has extra to supply under.) 

Lexi Thompson 

This yr, I believe it’s protected to say that in ladies’s golf and on the LPGA tour, that this might have been a turning level yr with the elevated curiosity in ladies’s sports activities, the Caitlin Clark curiosity, with Nelly taking part in the best way she has. Me query is: Do you suppose the LPGA captured that second correctly?

“Yeah, nicely, firstly,” Lexi Thompson stated in her formal press convention, “I believe ladies’s sports activities usually are on such a excessive proper now and shifting in the suitable path, whether or not it’s rising in every sport or golf usually.

“You realize, I’ve all the time stated in any interviews since I turned professional, the sport of golf, our sponsors, tournaments, purses, they’ve all raised and our TV protection has elevated.

“I believe we may carry on enhancing. I believe there’s much more room for enchancment. I believe we’re making as many tales as we are able to and specializing in all the great, however I believe there are such a lot of skills out right here and so many tales that we are able to actually deal with and actually usher in plenty of followers and usher in an even bigger fan base than what we have now.

“I believe there’s simply extra room for enchancment. We’re enhancing proper now, however there’s much more to go.”

I assume greater query, have you ever ever considered a approach that these tales may very well be instructed like that?

“That’s an incredible query as nicely,” Thompson stated. “I believe simply displaying the personalities of the gamers out right here. In fact everyone sees the expertise. I believe increasingly more folks want to understand how proficient the ladies are out right here and are available out and assist us. As a result of I don’t suppose TV does it justice. I believe you need to see it in individual.

“However, yeah, there are such a lot of nice personalities out right here. It’s only a matter of creating these tales primarily based on these folks which can be prepared to open up and actually present the world they’re extra than simply golf. There may be far more to us than that.”

(Editor’s observe: Thompson has introduced that this yr shall be her final as a full-time LPGA member.)

Nelly Korda 

With this yr and the rise in curiosity in ladies’s sports activities and the curiosity in clearly your success this yr and the curiosity in Caitlin Clark’s play within the WNBA, do you suppose the LPGA has accomplished a very good job capturing that second and selling that?

“I imply, clearly I’m the one hitting a golf ball, however on the finish of the day I don’t know the logistics behind every thing,” Nelly Korda stated throughout her formal press convention. “I deal with my profession and what I’m doing, so I don’t actually know if I can reply that query.”

(Editor’s observe: Korda has been requested concerning the comparisons to Clark earlier than, and one of many tales on the topic could be learn right here.) 

Lydia Ko 

This yr, there’s been a very good rise in curiosity in ladies’s sports activities, with Caitlin Clark, together with your success, with Nelly Korda’s success, much more broadcasts. My query is, do you suppose the LPGA tour did a very good job of capturing that second?

“I believe it’s going to be a solution that’s totally different for everybody, to be sincere,” Lydia Ko stated throughout a one-on-one interview after her formal press convention. “I don’t activate and watch the protection after I’m not taking part in, however I’m all the time highlights. I clearly observe the LPGA social media so I see it with that, however I do imagine that we’re getting higher, and clearly inside our tour, there’s simply been so many nice tales which were proven. Yeah, I believe with something, nothing is ideal. We are able to all the time get higher and enhance. However I might by no means say that they did a foul job.”

Ally Ewing 

“This yr, with Nelly taking part in nicely, with an elevated curiosity in ladies’s sports activities, Caitlin Clark, you may say there was a chance for the LPGA to perhaps grasp that second and trip that wave and go previous that even. Do you suppose the Tour did that?”

“Nicely, I do know I’ve by no means seen — when it comes to Caitlin Clark final week taking part in the pro-am, I’ve by no means seen that many individuals round one group in a pro-am,” Ally Ewing stated in her formal press convention. “So the joy, I believe, simply to see a present dominant feminine basketball participant who performs golf sometimes are available and play our pro-am, that was big for a turnout.

“I ran out onto the 18th fairway to get an image along with her myself as a result of I performed basketball in highschool. I believe there’s all the time alternative to succeed in a bit of bit greater. I believe the LPGA has accomplished an incredible job in development.

“So when it comes to simply doing higher and higher, I believe we’re doing higher. I believe there are tons of alternatives that we are able to look to make use of as we transfer ahead.”

(Editor’s observe: Ewing is retiring after this week.) 

Mollie Marcoux Samaan 

With the eye on Caitlin Clark, with the Olympics this yr, with Nelly’s play this yr, curiosity in ladies’s sports activities has by no means been greater. With that being stated, my query is, do you suppose the LPGA correctly captured that second?

“I imply, I believe the numbers present that we captured that second, proper?” Marcoux Samaan stated in her formal press convention. “In the event you have a look at what — our job is to ensure that our gamers have alternatives to make a dwelling commensurate with their expertise.

“Are we accomplished but? No. Ought to this be extra? Ought to they be making as a lot as the lads? Sure, we wish to get to that time after we can. Yeah, I believe we’ve accomplished superb work. I believe our staff has accomplished superb work. I believe our companions have stepped up on many alternative ranges and have actually elevated what we’re doing.

“Are we accomplished with that development? Completely not. Are we targeted on getting — persevering with to get extra followers beneath our tent and persevering with to get extra publicity for our gamers? Undoubtedly. I imply, we’re a growth-minded group.

“However I don’t suppose anyone may say that the expansion hasn’t been exceptional during the last three years.”

(Editor’s observe: Marcoux Samaan is in her fourth yr as LPGA commissioner.) 

Terry Duffy, CME Group CEO 

In the event you had the possibility to inform one other enterprise to sponsor like you may have, to assist the LPGA observe the ladies’s sports activities growth, what would you inform these companies?

“I wouldn’t inform them something,” stated Terry Duffy, the CEO of the CME Group, which simply signed a two-year settlement to proceed its sponsorship of this week’s match. [Duffy spoke to a handful of reporters on Wednesday afternoon.]

“Right here’s what I’m a giant believer in: Generally visuals are rather more essential than phrases. I’d been requested when Mike Whan was nonetheless the commissioner of the LPGA — and I talked to Mike yesterday; he’s an incredible pal — he requested me, he had a sponsor that was enthusiastic about dipping their toes in. And he stated, will you discuss to them? And I stated, no, however I’ll inform you what I’ll do: I’ll host them. And I introduced them right here and I confirmed them what we had. And generally if you have a look at it and see it and have a touchy-feely versus simply somebody telling you, that is actually good, your consumer goes to adore it, and also you go, it feels like I’m being pitched by everybody else. That’s not what that is all about. I believe that is one in every of these occasions that you need to expertise. 

“I inform folks how it’s. I inform folks how thrilling it’s for my purchasers when requested. I inform how good of a profit it’s to my model. I cherish my model. I spent years constructing this model. … Having it partnered with the LPGA is essential to me. So if you ask about others, I like them to come back see that as a result of my model is that essential to me, I simply can’t even clarify to them. I’ve to indicate them.”

Curious: Whenever you introduced that individual down, what was the response?

“They liked it,” stated Duffy, including that they went on to sponsor an occasion.  

(Editor’s observe: The CME Group continues to again the LPGA, although a second in 2022 examined that. In a narrative additionally written by Golfweek’s Nichols — which you’ll learn in full right here — the CME Group had requested gamers to attend a dinner, however none got here, main Duffy to query LPGA management.) 

What would you alter, if given the possibility? 

Angel Yin 

I believe this yr, in professional golf usually, it looks as if there are plenty of recommendations, plenty of concepts on the desk. There’s change. There are changes on the lads’s tour, the ladies’s tour. In the event you had been in command of the LPGA, what’s a big-ticket merchandise you’ll change? 

“That’s a reasonably loaded query,” Yin stated, “as a result of I don’t know if there’s a big-ticket merchandise I might change as a result of I believe the path we’re in proper now’s good. Now we have a giant wave of ladies’s sports activities that’s on the rise. In all probability my essential deal with all of it isn’t getting extra sponsors however getting us recognized. As ladies’s sports activities are on the rise, in case you don’t surf it, it simply dies out and you want to catch that wave.” 

Have you considered a approach that may occur? 

“Oh, I don’t know,” Yin stated. “I believe stuff like that, to enter element, to have the ability to give an sincere reply, is somebody having the ability to have a look at all of the numbers and all of the methods within the final 5, six years and see the place we are able to progress and evaluate to what different organizations are doing. If I needed to give a solution proper now, it could be investing into gamers. For instance, Nelly. Nelly’s doing quite a bit. Nelly received her seventh match, she obtained her Sports activities Illustrated swimsuit, she went to the Met Gala — she’s doing quite a bit. And he or she’s placing her title on the market. Whether or not she is aware of, she’s additionally representing all of us and so we recognize what she does quite a bit and he or she’s doing good. And so yeah, simply put money into gamers.” 

Lexi Thompson 

With seemingly plenty of change in professional golf, women and men, what could be — and plenty of concepts on the desk — what could be one big-ticket merchandise you’ll wish to see modified?

“One massive factor that I wish to see change,” Thompson stated, “I wish to see higher TV protection for us and carry on growing the purses each week. I believe we’ve moved in the suitable path on just a few of our occasions, however to maintain on growing on that, displaying how proficient we actually are.

“And the appreciation — after all we’re grateful for all of the partnerships we have now. We’re so grateful for what we have now. So I believe simply preserve enhancing on that, the TV protection. I wish to have extra stay LPGA golf on the Golf Channel or on common NBC or community.”

What’s one thing low-key that perhaps solely you’ll know? Something particular to the tournaments, setups, no matter? One thing that has simply itched you a bit of bit and is like, man, I actually want we may remedy it?

“Apart from the gradual play — I believe everyone is aware of that one,” Thompson stated. “I don’t suppose there’s actually a lot. Generally course setup is a little bit of a problem and never as thought by way of as generally perhaps needs to be. It’s robust when you may have all of the totally different situations going into every day.”

Nelly Korda  

With plenty of change in males’s golf and ladies’s golf, there are plenty of concepts on the desk. I assume in case you had a pitch to make, what’s a big-ticket change you’ll make?

“Nicely, one, I might deal with tempo of play,” Korda stated. “I might circle again to tempo of play.

I believe we want primetime TV. We’d like extra hours on TV. I imply, we have now an incredible product out right here. Now we have so many superb tales. We simply should be on primetime TV.”

Is there a lower-ticket merchandise that perhaps is just particular to you, one thing that bothers you that you just had been like, man, I want they might repair that?

“Nothing is de facto coming to thoughts proper now, no,” Korda stated. 

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