"She was able to ignore much of the criticism because she knew her constituency had her back."
We're seeing the value of a local perspective in coverage of the brewing Bivens-LPGA situation.
Ferd Lewis reviews several Bivens lowlights--many coming in Hawaii--and concludes:
The question shouldn't be whether Bivens is shown the door by the LPGA, but what took so long to finally push her out it?
Dave Hackenberg in Toledo:
Some of her ideas and moves have made her a punching bag for the media, and too many tournament owners and sponsors have gone from feeling like customers and colleagues to mere ATM machines for the tour.
But she was able to ignore much of the criticism because she knew her constituency had her back.
He goes on to share some of the ways tournaments are having to pay the LPGA more and looks at the perils of Bivens' "hard-line negotiating stance"
Larry Bohannan in Palm Springs:
A growing school of thought is that some sponsors aren't just cutting back on expenses during a recession. Instead, they are leaving the LPGA due to Bivens' policies, but using the economy as a legitimate smokescreen.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009 at 11:14 AM
Reader Comments (3)
I got excited a couple of years ago, with Paula Creamer and a bunch of fresh-faced kids all set to win a bunch of tournaments. It didn't happen -- and, for me at least, the enthusiasm flew right out the window.
Call me names -- you may be right -- but when it comes to selling women's sports in the US, there are certain ... requirements. Constant, repeated exposure; physical attractveness; personality; a history.
There's no consistent women's golf exposure, most of the leaderboard doesn't speak English, and we as viewers have no idea who these kids are. It's not our fault if we can't find it in our golf-enjoying hearts to care.