In my opinion, such backlash from John about the LPGA policy just does one thing — it makes it so that sponsors quit supporting smaller league play. And for those places that DO NOT have the NBA, NFL or any larger professional leagues, this type of attitude basically tells those places to bend over and take it since (1) most players cannot afford translators like Yao Ming and (2) those that participate in those smaller leagues speak English, and thus are targeted in such a fashion by those sponsors. Again, every single argument out there currently fails to take into account the business aspect of the game and how smaller tours must adjust to certain more local atmospheres.
Remember the old adage of “When in Rome, do as the Romans do?” This applies much more to smaller leagues than with their larger brethren; the comparison of the NBA with LPGA is like trying to state that WNBA people should be equal in play and pay as PGA, and we all know that’s nowhere near true regardless of talent or skill. And having the actual PGA tour run through our small piece of land here in the South and knowing how much it effects our economic base? When was the last time any of these people tried to help with economic development of cities that don’t have high rises?
The change of policy by the LPGA makes it seem like liberal backlash wins yet again, on the backs of smaller leagues and not caring about whether or not it effects how sponsors react, how players are paid, and if there’s even a chance for these type of leagues to survive, let alone grow. Having been a part of many conversations for economic development in the past, I know that the original decision didn’t just come out the murky depths of who-knows-where. Remember one single thing here: the LPGA didn’t implement this policy out of the blue. They probably had sponsors that had given back end discussions about it before it was implemented.
So for those that lashed out? Good job. Hope you can sleep at night with your ideals while the others struggle in the reality of how smaller organizations are managed.
