ESPN Can't be Bothered RE: LPGA?

by Bill Jempty on Apr 2, 2009 9:50 AM EDT Comment 22 comments

That must essentially be ESPN's stand on the LPGA Tour these days. If not for the writing of Ron Sirak, who really works for Golf World, the sports leader would be totally ignoring women's professional golf right now.

It hasn't always been this way. Last year, a panel of golf writers picked by ESPN, made predictions for the upcoming season, who would win the US Open, etc.* All of this stopped basically stopped with the 2008 Women's British Open. ** Jason Sobel will drone on about an upcoming men's major for the 25th time, before giving the LPGA more than cursory attention.

Maybe the LPGA Tour has caught on to how little attention is paid to them by the media even at major championship time. The reason I say that - the Tour's new blogger policy.

*- These previews could be interesting. One ESPN panelist correctly picked Inbee Park for last year's US Open. In 2007, a panelist forgot Grace Park when he wrote no Korean golfer had ever won the Kraft Nabisco.

**- If ESPN is lacking members for a panel, my services are available and I'm guessing Bruce, Ryan, and Ken would all love to join me in going head to head with Ron Sirak.

*** Update- Let me clarify myself. I'm talking about ESPN.com. I hardly watch Sports Center, even when I was in the hospital last year.

FanPosts are written by Waggle Room members. Viewpoints expressed do not necessarily reflect those of WaggleRoom.com and its editor, Ryan Ballengee. The Waggle Room member whose byline appears with the FanPost is solely responsible for its content.

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Since they won’t be televising any women’s golf after this year (GC’s contract makes it the exclusive cable home of the LPGA), ESPN has no long-term reason to keep plugging it. They’ve made this stance very clear with other sports as well. Other than the most high-profile events, SportsCenter only shows highlights or features of sports/leagues that ESPN has contracts with.

by hound dog on Apr 2, 2009 10:00 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Which means

They aren’t the sports leader. We only cover sports we can televise. Seems like a very narrow minded and dumb approach.

ESPN lost its hockey contract, but they do pay attention to the sport online. Why doesn’t that also apply to the LPGA>
.

by Bill Jempty on Apr 2, 2009 10:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It’s not a sports decision that ESPN makes. It’s a business decision. They promoted the Arena Football League because they televised it (and had an equity stake in it). They promote the WBC because they televise it. The Masters will get huge coverage because they get two rounds of it. It’s all because they can make a ton of money by doing it online, radio, and on domestic and international TV. If they can’t make money off of it, then it gets brushed off as less of a priority.

by Ryan Ballengee on Apr 2, 2009 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kind of puts an end to the phrase...

…“independent and unbiased media”.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Apr 2, 2009 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ain’t that the truth.

by red tees on Apr 2, 2009 11:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

HD makes great points.

I was thinking that last year, until June, the golf world was just rolling along normally – then Tiger’s knee problems happened and everything got shaken up. Now he’s coming back and all eyes are on him.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Apr 2, 2009 10:20 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

funny, I took on the print journalists earlier today

http://mlyhlss.blogspot.com/2009/04/vagaries-of-golf-journalism.html

mindmeld—oooh!

by The Constructivist on Apr 2, 2009 11:21 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

by the way – the first three rounds are on ESPN2. Just 2 hours a day, but that’s where it is. 5-7pm Eastern, 6-8 Eastern on Saturday and 3-6 Eastern on CBS on Sunday.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Apr 2, 2009 12:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Make you $10

If anyone else but Wie wins on Sunday, CBS will leave very quickly. Should Michelle win, we’ll get to see her lake jump live.

You heard it here first.

by Bill Jempty on Apr 2, 2009 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'll take some of that

but you might want to reconsider the bet – the broadcast won’t be live. we will see the jump in the lake – it’s a tradition.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Apr 2, 2009 12:54 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Check the times

It will be live on Sunday. That’s 3-6 p.m. EST or 12-3 PST.

by Bill Jempty on Apr 2, 2009 12:56 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I saw them – just posted them above. Like I said – I’ll take some of that. ! :-) The jump in the lake will be shown…unless there is a serious rain delay.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Apr 2, 2009 1:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

CBS always makes a huge deal out of the pond jump

Too big sometimes, but I shouldn’t really complain. The only way they don’t show it is if a playoff extends the finish way beyond 6pm, like to 7 or later.

by hound dog on Apr 2, 2009 2:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Grace Park and Meunier Lebouc

Weren’t on live. I don’t seem to recall Pressel either.

by Bill Jempty on Apr 2, 2009 2:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Wasn’t Park’s win before all the jumping in the lake thing got popular ?

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Apr 2, 2009 3:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You may be right about Pressel – remember – she wasn’t on 18 when she won. She was over on the practice tee hoping for a playoff. She had to come all the way over for the award ceremony. The jump is always right after the winning putt.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Apr 2, 2009 3:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Let's just be honest

Nobody cares

Just like nobody cares about the WNBA or the College Woman’s Tournament

by AppleCub on Apr 2, 2009 7:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

or bowling or figure skating or soccer or lacrosse or college baseball or rodeo or arena football. Yet all of these have gotten substantial air time on popular broadcast or cable networks. You got some pretty stupid programming executives out there airing sports that nobody cares to watch.

by hound dog on Apr 3, 2009 8:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

trim that list a bit

women’s figure skating is very popular – it just doesn’t come around very often. As an Olympic sport, it is always gets some of the highest viewer numbers. College baseball is also a once a year view at the college world series. They aren’t NFL football, but they do draw good numbers.

The WNBA is and always will be a welfare league…if it survives at all.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Apr 3, 2009 9:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

point taken

I was merely listing sports which, while I don’t care to watch them on TV or in person, you won’t ever hear me say “nobody cares” about them.

by hound dog on Apr 3, 2009 2:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

ah – good point. A lot of the guys at the station have a habit of saying that people don’t care about such-and-such a game. The first thing that always pops into my mind is that people might care more if you would stop badmouthing everything. I don’t care if it’s Tiger and Phil on Sunday or Tiger and an amateur on Sunday as long as they battle hard and make good shots. (by the way – those same guys said that the SEC men’s basketball tournament was going to be a complete bore and the ACC would be a classic – OOPS ! The SEC turned into a great tournament – not so much for the ACC)