Anna Rawson's Ideas

[Soxx22]

has anyone seen Anna Rawson's article on ESPN.com? she outlines a number of ideas that she thinks could help the LPGA tour become more popular.

 

among her ideas:

 

-- each golfer tees off on the first tee to music they pick out and that same music is played when they walk up to the 18th green. she points out that it works in baseball

 

-- have combined men and women's tournaments. alternate groups off the first tee (men from the back tee, women from the forward tees). 75 players from each tour playing for separate titles.

 

-- until further notice, all decisions should be made from a marketing perspective.

 

-- every group should be miked up and followed by their own camera crew.

 

 

my thoughts:

the music thing is interesting but if it's too loud it could distract players at nearby holes.

combined tournaments would be fun to watch. maybe have 2 or 3 per year. not sure why the PGA Tour would agree to do it but you never know.

emphasis on marketing is obvious

i've always thought that miking players would be a good idea. i'd love to hear conversations between players and their caddies. might just need a 7 second delay for some players :)

 

at least she's trying and thinking outside the box. something needs to be done, unfortunately, the one thing that would help interest in the LPGA the most is if more players that looked like Anna were in the top 10.

[Mward2002]

A more dominant American showing would be even more popular. The Korean girls can flat out play and they're making the US look pretty dismal.

[naj959]

Hotter players and miking them up I could get on borad with, the rest is a little farfetched IMHO.

[alittleoverpar]

I'd follow Anna Rawson anywhere!

[costanza]

The problem with miking the players is that I don't speak Korean...and that's who seems to be winning the events on the lpga tour.

[JoeF]

Anna needs to come over to my place so that we can discuss this.

[mhk5000]

Interesting and good to hear some player opinions. From my perspective they won't help. Just sharing my thoughts -

Music - so you have to play 3-4 tracks for each person on 1 and 18? What happens with slow players you play the same song on a loop?

Men & Women tournaments - Has some possibilities but I think it would look/feel more like an exhibition than actual tournament.

Decisions based on marketing - so LPGA is no longer a competitive sport? Competition should be first and marketing second. If it was marketing, then LPGA would just be an exhibition sport.

Mic players and caddies - I like this but it could affect competition as players now have one more thing to consider. Also what if a player said something that offended their sponsor or brought negative attention to a sponsor or themselves? I'm sure they would have to teach the players about FCC regulations and do you get a translator for the conversations that aren't in English?

I hope to hear more opinions from other LPGA or PGA players.

[Jayhawk]

any truth to the rumor that Anna's theme music would be "Funky Cold Medina?"

[RangerEsq.]

When she learns to shut up and just play, then the LPGA might be taken seriously again. They need another Annika, is what is needs, not some pretty faces that can barely swing the club because they're wearing too many accessories. Geez

[costanza]

[quote name='RangerEsq.' post='1848674' date='Jul 28 2009, 02:49 PM']When she learns to shut up and just play, then the LPGA [b]might be taken seriously again[/b]. They need another Annika, is what is needs, not some pretty faces that can barely swing the club because they're wearing too many accessories. Geez[/quote]

That would imply that it was once taken seriously, instead of just being tolerated.

Truthfully the tour needs about 100 Anna Rawsons (average players), so that any one week one of them will be in contention come Sunday. Instant ratings boost if there is the sex appeal.

[rs18]

[quote name='mhk5000' post='1848639' date='Jul 28 2009, 11:27 AM']Decisions based on marketing - so LPGA is no longer a competitive sport? [b]Competition should be first and marketing second.[/b] If it was marketing, then LPGA would just be an exhibition sport.[/quote]

Hate to break it to you, but all professional sports are about marketing. If it were just about competition, then you could just watch college sports, or high school sports - in fact the competition is usually more exciting at those levels.

All sports leagues, including the major ones (NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL) make not only financial decisions, but rule changes based on marketing data - that is, they give viewers what they want to see. In the end, that's all professional sports leagues are.

I agree wholeheartedly with her assertion that all decisions should run through marketing, but the others either won't make a difference, or would be more trouble than they're worth.

[larrybud]

Those have to be some of the most stupid ideas I've heard. Anna should stick to modeling.

People want to watch the BEST players playing their sport. Women golfers aren't the best, that's why they aren't even close to the PGA in popularity. Most people don't care to watch the next up and coming "Kim" who can hit it 250 yards. We can watch that at our local club every Saturday morning.

College sports have a different dynamic, with the whole alma mater thing going and in state rivalries.

Now, I don't know what the solution to the LPGA is. I'm not sure there is one, frankly.

[ZBigStick]

The ladies need to work on their games first of all.

Annika vs. Karrie Webb
Annika vs. Se Ri Pak
Annika vs. Lorena Ochoa

All moved the needle. Good quality competition and phenomenal players.
Korean players are fine but one dominant player would create a recognizable product instead of the anonymity of a different winner every week.

Finally a stricter dress code could work. [b]Most[/b] of the ladies look like professional golfers but others look like they are headed to the grocery store in tee shirts and warmup pants with a dingy ponytail. The LPGA is supposed to be the pinnacle of ladies professional golf. Look like you shopped in the pro shop and not the Sports Authority.

The only point of Anna's I like is perhaps mic'ing up the caddies. It gives the viewer insight into strategy and doesn't encumber the player with mic packs.

[muxi87]

[quote name='Soxx22' post='1848580' date='Jul 28 2009, 02:03 PM']-- have combined men and women's tournaments. alternate groups off the first tee (men from the back tee, women from the forward tees). 75 players from each tour playing for separate titles.[/quote]
Great idea. Absolutely one of the most fantastic ideas I've heard in some time.

Heck, I'd go without a doubt. I very rarely went to the Bellsouth tourney at TPC Sugarloaf, and I've never been to an all out LPGA event, but I'd go to a mixed event in a heartbeat.

As for why the PGA Tour would say yes--most tourney attendees are men...most men like women. Simple decision for both tours in my opinion.

I'm sure Hooters would jump on as a sponsor in a heartbeat

I'd love to see this idea get 'legs' and get off the ground!

[generalbolg]

If anna rawson was required to play golf in a bikini, more people might tune it. clothes ftl.

[CosmosMpower]

[quote name='generalbolg' post='1848809' date='Jul 28 2009, 03:01 PM']If anna rawson was required to play golf in a bikini, more people might tune it. clothes ftl.[/quote]

+1. Get golf magazine to take a vote of the 10 hottest and have them play in bikinis. Put all the ugly ones in potato sacks.

[yoonie]

...after hearing her ideas, it's a good thing she's so pretty.

[Desert Golf]

[quote name='JoeF' post='1848631' date='Jul 28 2009, 11:22 AM']Anna needs to come over to my place so that we can discuss this.[/quote]


LOL

[Titileist x7]

For those you of you disparaging Anna's ideas. Shut Up. You aren't adding solutions, you're not model caliber hot, and you're not sporting a Tour Card or a photo spread.

She is hot, I will listen. The only reason I would ever watch women's golf is to see the hot women who can also whoop me on the course.

[Asleep]

Anna's a pretty darn smart gal.

Makes a lot more money than most of the LPGA's most recognizable names.

[dpark]

I can tell you that I don't even watch LPGA golf anymore. I used to watch to see Annika play along with a handful of others. But with her out of the picture, there isn't anything compelling to watch. Heck, I'm Korean, and even I can't stand to watch to Korean ladies play.

It isn't the funny names that you can't pronounce or remember (I can get away with that one...) it is the fact that they have zero personality for the US-audience. The culture over in Korea is still very different than over here and that is a big reason why they have very little appeal to us in America. European culture is much closer to ours which is why their players are more appealing (IMO) and the fact that most of them speak English doesn't hurt either.

Angel Cabrera speaks lousy English, but he is fun to watch. He is emotional, he talks to the golf ball in flight, he smiles, he gets excited and all of that can still reach the audience even though he does not speak English. The Korean LPGA players simply don't know how to do that. It isn't in their DNA. Se Ri was unique in that respect IMO (and she worked really hard to learn English too)

LPGA golf needs personalities. Anna is nice to look at for sure, and she seems very passionate about the LPGA, but until her game steps up, she isn't going to get enough airtime on TV for anyone to notice (except on this golf forum).

[Tanner25]

An Anna thread w/o pics. Are you kidding me?

[Asleep]

An Anna thread w/o pics. Are you kidding me?

Sorry.

 

[Tanner25]

An Anna thread w/o pics. Are you kidding me?

Sorry.

 

 

 

thx, Asleep

[idiotbox]

When did the LPGA become the WWE? Maybe they need explosions when they hit tee shots? Pyro would be badass!

[ProphetLogic]

[quote name='larrybud' post='1848727' date='Jul 28 2009, 03:20 PM']Now, I don't know what the solution to the LPGA is. I'm not sure there is one, frankly.[/quote]

The only solution besides having them play topless(I'm serious here), would be to get more women interested in playing and watching golf. You can't rely on a primarily male fan base to keep any female sport alive.

[DemolitionMan]

Just like the LPGA struggles to get any coverage and TV time, they get the bottom of the barrel for marshaling too - me.

Seriously, what is with the nonsense Korean names to prove a point? Thread is cleaned up, let's keep it that way. Getting banned from a post in a LPGA thread is low rent, so don't go there.

As for Anna's ideas....next? When she wins a tournament, then she can talk. Combined M/W event? Right...that would go over like a lead balloon. Unless the tees are 150 yards closer on every hole and the course is setup for the LPGA event, the women have no chance competing against men on the PGA Tour. None. Did anyone watch the women's US Open? They struggled on a course setup that is still not even up to the average difficulty of a PGA event.

[RBImGuy]

a good looking american player, who can actually play golf.
People watch Tiger not for his golf game but for his always giving his utmost best.

and it helps if golfers look like they are having fun out there, as to many is stonecold faced cut in ice.
That goes for men also btw.

Anna´s ideas are like, well, panic call.

[dana dahlquist]

First off, she can play. This is her first full year as a LPGA tour player.
Very good ball striker, hit it far for her size.
Won the local US Open site by three without even trying. The second site was a bit loaded as a field alot did not make it there. She made the british this week so stay tuned.

Asleep I agree with you about the money deal, she makes a ton, it scary. She turns down every club company beacuse they don't think big enough.

What was everyones take on the interview? They cut my take as well as her manager, maybe due to the fact we were to positive on her ability.

[bobsuruncle]

she's great to look at...but is she ever on the top page of the leaderboard to get tv coverage? oops... guess we can always google her pixs...