Flashback: HSBC Dude Was For Appearance Fees Before He Was Against Them

What's funny about HSBC's Giles Morgan lamenting Tiger and Rory's absence from his WGC event this week in China?

That Rory and Tiger committed (extremely) early to HSBC's January event in Abu Dhabi where they are undoubtedly receiving huge appearance fees? No.

That the Morgan has 13 of the top 20 in the world at the HSBC, and is unhappy, even though a field like that will make it one of the strongest fields of the year?

No, downright LOL funny: speaking on behalf of sponsors who are concerned about star players not teeing up every single week, Morgan apparently forgot that back in January he praised the very thing that is undermining his event this week.

Speaking to Bob Harig in his look at the role of appearance fees, Morgan was defensive about the notion of appearance fees "commercial arrangements" with some players:

"The commercial arrangements we have with some of the players is long seated,'' said Giles Morgan, group head of sponsorship for HSBC, which is in the second year of a five-year contract to sponsor this tournament. It also sponsors the WGC-HSBC Champions in China, as well as several other tournaments.

"Golf is a product and golf is a product particularly in new markets. And you have to ensure that the players are able to showcase what the sport is to the broader public. We are trying to take this sport to a new audience, which means that commercial arrangements are much more likely.''

Of course, such "commercial arrangements" are not allowed at a PGA Tour sanctioned event like the HSBC Champions.

Comments

[Ryan]

Appearance fees or aren't officially paid on European Tour events either. Like on the PGA Tour the players get the money for attending a pro-am, a sponsor outing or something else. And you have the same on your side of the atlantic, which nobody wants to talk about because then you couldn't point fingers to Dubai, Abu Dhabi et al. enymore

[OB]

This kind of hypocrisy and complaining will keep coming. Too many tournaments vying for too few stars.

[smails]

pay up or shut up HSBC

[jones]

what is this idiot thinking? he's basically tellign me theres nothing to watch at his tournament this weekend.

[DTF]

Like I said, moron TV....

[Press Agent]

The tournament is actually a good one, and has been a good one to watch in the past.
Being upset about Rory and Tiger not going, especially after they did some exhibition thing earlier this week is perfectly understandable.

The backwards turn this episode has caused here in the comments and body of the blog is kinda funny when you think that for the most part we usually hammer on about how bad appearance fees are for the game. If this guy can actually spin this into some kind of critical look at appearance fees and somehow show that Rory and Tiger would have turned up if they were paid enough, I say you go get em ace. Lets blow this thing wide open and expose how much greed there actually is at the top level of the game. Gentleman's game?? PSSSFT!!

[ol Harv]

OB, you are spot on.

[elf]

It's a supply and demand problem. Due to the glut of worldwide tournaments (supply), there is massive demand for superstar golfers, and there are very few superstar golfers.

[Stord]

Elf, thanks for pointing out which was supply and which was demand in your example. It was all getting confusing....