UPDATED: What Can Brown Do for Lee Westwood? Not Much in Memphis, Until Bad PR Sets In
by Ryan Ballengee on Apr 28, 2010 5:37 PM EDT
in Pro Golf
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PrintA few months ago, we here made fun of Lee Westwood for donning a patch on his garb to commemorate winning the inaugural Race to Dubai title last season. Surprisingly, there was some serious comment backlash about that piddly, little joke. But it's not the only patch that Westwood wears. He also is sponsored by the shield of UPS - the good folks who send out packages, race their trucks in NASCAR events, and only take right turns on their routes (really, that's true).
Turns out that UPS patch cost him a spot in the tune-up before the US Open in June. The Memphis PGA Tour stop, which recently picked up health care company Smith & Nephew (who?) as presenting sponsor for this year, declined to offer a sponsor exemption to Westwood because of his sponsorship deal with UPS.
As Mark Reason details in the Telegraph, Phil Cannon, the tournament director of the St Jude Classic, said, "One of [Westwood's] sponsors gives us a little concern. Brown trucks aren't welcome onsite."
FedEx - former title sponsor of the tournament before taking on the buku bucks deal to title the now FedExCupONoodles - is based in Memphis.
Seriously? How petty is the Memphis event to not give an exemption to one of the best and classiest players in the world because of his sponsor deal? If Pepsi sponsored a guy on Tour, would Coca-Cola be able to complain about him qualifying for the Tour Championship? What kind of reason would it be for the Travelers to not offer an exemption to someone like Paul Azinger because he represents Citi?
If FedEx probably had their way, they'd make sure Westwood could never play in any of their events. God forbid that one guy wear a shirt with a competitor's logo, especially with the FedEx logo plastered almost everywhere at PGA Tour stops.
Visit PGATour.com and look at pictures of Lee Westwood. The UPS logo is not on his shirt because they remove it. The Tour has a sensitivity to such things - I mean, you would, too, if FedEx was paying nine figures to your company over a handful of years. That's one thing, but does it have to extend all the way to how a guy makes his livelihood?
UPDATE: Late this afternoon, the Memphis event has backed down and will offer a sponsor exemption to Westwood to play in the St. Jude Classic.
“He’s happy and we’re happy,” St. Jude Classic tournament director Phil Cannon said. “He’s very grateful. Our friends at FedEx want to make it clear they have no say in the matter and they would welcome Lee in the field. So we’ll call an end to this little hiccup and go on.”
Seeing as though I had a slew of views today from FedEx and UPS employees, it was clear that this was not going to stand for very long. But, had Westwood not disclosed the clear conflict of interest on Tuesday at Quail Hollow, would this have ever been changed?
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AW Ryan...major gaffe here
Not true about only right hand turns….My street dead ends into a T intersection…Big browns trucks take LEFT HAND TURNS onto my street…..jist sayin here…..And this nonsense of patches on shirts….pretty soon we’re going to be like race drivers and unable to see the fabric because of all the patches….Ol Timmy will probably be issuing rules, that unless he gets his share of the loot, no players can wear patches….Rather silly…yep…but so is the whole thing of not allowing big brown deliveries…STUB
I should say that they try for only right hand turns – but not always possible as you point out.
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by Ryan Ballengee on Apr 28, 2010 1:13 PM EDT up reply actions
I can tell you
That I deal a lot with transportation companies and carriers ALL the time and the UPS vs Fedex thing gets very very ugly a lot more so than Coke and Pepsi. It’s just a shame it has to work it’s way into a player on tours lifestyle and sponsorship. I’m sure there is a contractual agreement on all ends of the spectrum and all the lawyers will get rich sorting it all out. Meanwhile it’s Westwood and us fans of the game that suffer. Shamefull if ya ask me. The political correctness in this world has gotten waaaaaaaaaay out of hand.
"pain is only weakness leaving the body"
the UPS logo
is very prominently displayed on his shirt. Numerous people mentioned that it looked terrible during the Masters because of its size and color.
Progolf is right about the rivalry between the two companies. A retired UPS upper manager lives down my street and he flat out refuses packages delivered by Fed Ex. He tells the driver to get off his property.
What I’m saying is that the PGATour photocrops out that logo for images of Westwood on their site. The patch is very obvious if you watch him on TV.
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by Ryan Ballengee on Apr 28, 2010 1:14 PM EDT up reply actions
The LPGA players don far fewer patches, no?
Let’s hope their logo motives never extend to their cabooses. Asinine indeed.
The important portion of the post is as follows
declined to offer a sponsor exemption to Westwood because of his sponsorship deal with UPS. (emphasis mine)
If Westwood was a US PGA Tour member, this would be heavy handed and an affront to competition. Becasue Westwood isn’t a US PGA Tour member and would need the exemption, I have no problem with it.
It falls under the same category as Michelle Wie or Jerry Rice or anyone else getting an exemption; if you expect these companies to pony up millions of dollars to sponsor events, you have to allow them to use their exemptions for whatever reason they wish.
It’s up to the sponsor (which FedEx isn’t now, but they’re in Memphis). I just see it as kind of silly given how awesome Westwood has been playing the last 18 months. Seems like a no brainer to me, but it’s their money.
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by Ryan Ballengee on Apr 28, 2010 1:29 PM EDT up reply actions
Good point...
When I first read the article, I thought…“what the…??” but that’s mostly because I’m a new Westwood fan and the idea of not letting a great golfer play based on a clothing patch seems nuts to me. But as you pointed out, Westwood is at the whim of the sponsor’s exemption (by his choice) and like you said, they can do what they want with it. Although, I do have to say, I’m not sure it casts the tournament in the best light.
Does the PGA Tour have any exemptions at tournaments or is it solely at the discretion of the sponsor?
I write about golf at www.tees2greens.com, too.
No Ryan, it's their tournament...
kind of like it’s my bat and ball, and if ya don’t play my way, I’ll just take them and go home….TwoN has it right…..the event is the one handing out the exemptions, and can give them to whom ever they want….The PGA has no say in it….Probably in the contract somewhere…..STUB
Well, FedEx doesn’t have a huge say in this since they’re not title sponsor. Like 2N said, it’s their money, but it just seems asinine for that to be their reasoning. Memphis struggles as an event because of its scheduling, etc, so why not bring in a guy like Westwood?
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by Ryan Ballengee on Apr 28, 2010 1:46 PM EDT up reply actions
I doubt Westwood moves the needle with casual fans enough...
to override being an UPS golfer in a FedEx company town.
I"d agree with that assessment. Westwood has gained many new fans in the US after his great play recently in majors, but I don’t think the tournament will suffer by not having him there. The power of Fed Ex is strong on the tour and certainly in Memphis, even if they are no longer the title sponsor of this particular event. I am sure they cringe every time they see Westy’s “garish” logo when he is contending down the stretch in the tournaments that everyone cares about……
FedEx is so huge, though. I mean, they should be more upset about their planes being portrayed as unsafe in Cast Away than Lee Westwood flashing a two inch UPS logo.
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by Ryan Ballengee on Apr 28, 2010 2:15 PM EDT up reply actions
Pro is dead on – UPS and Fed Ex just flat out don’t like each other. And it is the option of the tournament to not offer an exemption to a player for whatever reason they see fit.
If Westwood was a US PGA Tour member with the same ranking he holds in Europe, they would not be allowed to exclude him – but he does not hold a PGA Tour card. Too bad for Westwood fans in the Memphis area – but that’s the way it is. (somehow I don’t see a huge drop off in ticket sales because of this)
RB – your Augusta-ese is getting better, but you’re confusing yourself. Just because this is a TUNE-ament the week before the US Open doesn’t make it a Tune-UP. The courses aren’t anything alike – especially the weather. :-D
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Southwind is a pretty good tune-up in that they typically set up some very firm and fast conditions for the players (well, as much as Southwind allows in a humid June).
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by Ryan Ballengee on Apr 28, 2010 3:47 PM EDT up reply actions
Sigh....one of those corporate stories that make you
shake your head in disgust.
Let him wear what he wants at the damn tournament and stop acting like the world will end with some common sense
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