Annika Turns Down Exemption Created Just For Her

That new exemption created for Annika Sorenstam to get into the Samsung? It looks like the LPGA once again was not prepared for the backlash.

Mark Steinberg, head of the golf division at IMG and Sorenstam's agent, said the Swede became concerned last week upon hearing that some players were told the top 18 on the LPGA Tour money list would get in to the event at Bighorn Golf Club in Palm Desert, Calif.

The rest of the field is comprised of the defending champion, four major champions, leader on the Ladies European Tour money list, one special exemption (Michelle Wie), and the rest coming from the money list.

"She didn't want the perception that she was taking a spot," Steinberg said. "She decided to do what's best for the LPGA."

This is also rather incredible regarding Michelle Wie's exemption: 

Wie, who has made only two cuts on the LPGA this year and just began her freshman year at Stanford, accepted the special exemption in March. This will be her fourth straight year playing the tournament.

If not for Wie getting a special exemption, the last spot in the field would have gone to Evian Masters champion Natalie Gulbis.

The Power Of The Swoosh?

What do these logos have in common? Why, it's a forward or upward moving swooshy kind of solid line. Can our graphics experts please fill us in if this is synonymous with a brand that's moving forward? Or just the same person designing logos for the PGA and LPGA Tour?

 

Update on 2007-10-04 05:17 by Geoff

Reader Rob reminds of a few more logos, and how I missed the mother of all swooshes...

  

LPGA Unveils Green-Haired, Yellow-Rumped Brand Vision

They've taken Tiger's old follow through, morphed it with the World Golf Championship and First Tee logos, and voila, leveraged brand equity is born...

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Oct. 3, 2007 -- The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) today unveiled its new logo, a contemporized version of its classic “swinging lady” mark. Working with SME, the world leader in strategic sports branding and design, the LPGA brought the vision of its dynamic future to life with a series of bold brushstrokes designed to stand the test of time.

“We designed a logo that represents the power, strength and athleticism of our LPGA athletes, and with the use of the bold colors, highlights our international membership and global business,” said LPGA Commissioner Carolyn F. Bivens. “This new logo underscores the changes in women's sports and the LPGA in recent years, and communicates the LPGA's bright future.”

That's not what I got from it. I got: why does she have a green ponytail?

The sleek new logo, which features an effortless, bold stroke-form of a female golfer, was designed to reflect the power, energy and contemporary lifestyle of the LPGA athlete. For the first time in the association's 58 years, the LPGA's primary mark will not be enclosed in a frame, representing a future with limitless potential.

Oh nice symbolism. And time for the traditional quote pile-on...

"Throughout the creative-design process, we sought a logo that offered a balance between the classic and traditional nature of the sport, but also captured the passion and drive of today's LPGA members," said Bill Susetka, the LPGA's chief marketing officer. "We also needed a logo that we could easily reproduce on merchandise, billboards and signage, and one that could carry its meaning to all points around the world. We've achieved this with our new logo."

"Of all the prestigious brand development assignments that we've been fortunate enough to work on over the years, the LPGA is among the most exciting," said Ed O'Hara, SME's chief creative officer and senior partner. "The new logo is a dramatic expression of the special and unique attributes of the brand, and truly symbolizes the LPGA's brand promise of showcasing the very best in women's golf."

And there's even more good news... 

Fans do not have to wait until the ADT Championship to catch their first glimpse of the striking new logo. A wide array of official LPGA merchandise and golf related items are available for the first time today via the LPGA's new online pro shop: www.LPGAproshop.com. A wide array of LPGA-branded apparel and golf-related items are now available on the Web site.

I think I know what I want for Christmas: the hat pin and hat clip ball marker combo platter. Though I wouldn't be upset if you got me a "These Girls Rock" hat too.

The logo redesign, the first since 1992, and LPGA Pro Shop launch are part of the organization's on-going branding initiatives that reinforce the LPGA as one of the world's most dynamic sports brands.

Just looking at the logo, I feel better about the LPGA already. 

On a serious note, it is an improvement. Seriously, it is. 

“Barb has always stood out as someone who epitomizes all that is good about the game of golf."

I make a point to read as many press releases as possible so that I can remain thoroughly jaded. Imagine my pleasant surprise at the Oregon Golf Association's announcement that Barb Trammell had been hired as their CEO.

You may recall that Trammell was the highly respected LPGA official fired early into the Biven regime for placing tournament rules over marketing priorities.  

The OGA release features the usual nonsense and stiff quotes from the parties involved, but what caught my eye were the two endorsements Trammell received in the official release.

David Fay, Executive Director of the USGA commented, “Barb has always stood out as someone who epitomizes all that is good about the game of golf.  She emanates class and integrity, and believes that the golf business, championship operations and the application of the Rules of Golf should be administered with the highest level of excellence.  I am particularly pleased that the OGA will be able to benefit from her wisdom and talent.”

Former LPGA Commissioner Ty Votaw, who worked with Trammell from 1999 to 2005, stated that Trammell is “a consummate professional who is respected throughout the golf industry.  The LPGA was extremely fortunate to have Barb Trammell working for it and I feel extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to work for so many years with a person of such integrity and talents.”

There's something you don't see every day. The Executive Director of the USGA and a high ranking PGA Tour official endorsing a regional golf association hiring.

Their comments would seem to speak to the esteem others in executive circles have held for Trammell's work. And perhaps it's a statement about what other higher-ups think of Bivens' decision to fire her.

"From Day One, Bivens moved fast to reshape the LPGA. She replaced the exiting staffers with a team heavy on marketers and intellectual-property lawyers"

Now I'm sure that the LPGA Carolyn Bivens inherited was far from perfect and that as with any organization, some change was necessary. But if you believe BusinessWeek (and that's hard to do considering how they pandered to ranking partner ESPN), you would be under the impression that the LPGA Tour was a complete and utter disaster and that her initiatives have completely turned things around.

Is it me or does Dean Foust's breathless piece reads a bit too much like an official LPGA press release:

If you think the inauspicious start chastened Bivens, think again. The LPGA chief makes no apologies for rattling cages at the 58-year-old tour, telling more than one interviewer: "I didn't take the job to be voted Miss Congeniality." She sees her game-changing overhaul as crucial to making sure the players reap their fair share of the spoils from the growing fan interest in the LPGA. "There were a number of people invested in maintaining the status quo," says Bivens. "It would have been criminal not to change the business model. The value of the LPGA had changed exponentially, and the contracting and the fees hadn't caught up to that."

Ah the value. Of course.

The tour Bivens inherited was far from healthy. Since 2001, the number of tournaments had shrunk from 40 to 35, and interest among TV networks was so limited that the LPGA not only didn't receive rights fees but had to buy air time to broadcast. The tour couldn't even afford to provide health care or retirement plans to its players.

And that has changed?

Perhaps more important, the LPGA didn't control any of the tournaments on its calendar. That left it vulnerable to the whims of tournament operators. For example, in 2006, CBS decided to move the final rounds of the McDonald's LPGA Championship to early afternoon—a time slot that was clearly unpalatable to the tour. NBC was willing to air the tournament in a better slot for $1.5 million. But the tournament's owner opted for The Golf Channel, which cost much less—about $300,000—but could deliver only a quarter of the NBC audience.

From Day One, Bivens moved fast to reshape the LPGA. She replaced the exiting staffers with a team heavy on marketers and intellectual-property lawyers who could help strike better deals with sponsors, licensees, and networks. For players, she hired a "branding coach" to help enhance their marketability. What's more, Bivens gradually hiked the sanctioning fees charged to the tournament owners to $100,000, from the $10,000 or so many had paid—a fee that wasn't enough to cover the cost of setting up the course and providing weekend child care for players. That triggered a backlash among tournament operators, but many players backed Bivens. "In the past I think our leadership was in a position of wanting to please too much. She wanted to do things differently," says tour veteran Wendy Ward.

I always forget that all change is progress! Stupid me.

This was also curious, since the ADT started under the prior regime:

To that end, she has already gained control of the season-ending ADT Championship held in mid-November in West Palm Beach, which pays two-thirds of its $1.55 million purse to the winner (winners usually get 15% of the purse). That disproportionate payout upset some older tour players, but their complaints have fallen on deaf ears. One more reason Carolyn Bivens won't be winning that congeniality award anytime soon.

LPGA Tour Creates Another On-The-Fly-Exemption

You gotta love the Wild West of tournament operations, better known as LPGA Tour headquarters:

Annika Sorenstam will get another crack at the Samsung World Championship, but only because the tournament changed its criteria to allow an exemption for an active member of the Hall of Fame.

Sorenstam is a five-time winner at Samsung, a limited field of 20 players held at Bighorn Golf Club in Palm Desert, Calif on Oct. 11-14.

But she would not have been eligible this year under the previous guidelines that award spots to the defending champion, the four major champions of the year, the leader of the Ladies European Tour money list, with the rest of the field coming from the LPGA Tour money list.

Sorenstam is having one of the worst seasons of her career, missing nearly two months in the spring because of neck and back injuries. The 10-time major champion is 30th on the LPGA Tour money list and has gone more than a full year without winning.

In an effort to upgrade the event, tournament organizers decided to eliminate a criteria that has not been used in nine years - the option to offer an exemption to the U.S. Women's Amateur champion - and replace it with a spot for an active Hall of Famer.

Now that we know Michelle Wie's never going to win that or join the IMG roster of product! And as the story notes, this isn't the first time a new exemption was created to circumvent the previously announced setup.

The tournament created a sponsor's exemption for Michelle Wie in 2004, and the teenager from Hawaii made her professional debut at Big Horn in 2005. Wie also played last year and finished 17th, and she accepted another sponsor's exemption in March.

"Choking freaking dogs!"

From a reader, one of six rising up early enough to catch The Golf Channel's Solheim Cup morning play.

The first morning match sees the Europeans get back to all square at the 18th when Sherrie Steinhauer, with the U.S. dormie, misses from inside three feet. Europe makes the putt and gets the half point. Golf Channel goes to commercial and the music rolls but the commercial doesn't kick in. And in that moment of silence Dottie screams "Choking freaking dogs!"

Our observant reader also noted that at the next commercial break, "they cut out so fast that Brian Hammond almost didn't complete his sentence!"

Nearly makes me want to rise early tomorrow just to watch. Nearly. 

“Tournament competition is one of the most important and certainly the most visible area of our business."

Here's a newsflash from Daytona Beach:

Sept. 7, 2007 –Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Commissioner Carolyn F. Bivens has

 Excuse me, is the "F." new? Does have more brand gravitas, I must say. Sorry, continue...

announced that Jane Geddes has been promoted to LPGA vice president of competition, effective Sept. 1.  Geddes recently held the position of senior director of tournament business affairs.

One vice president added, just 700 more to catch the PGA Tour.

“I am pleased Jane will assume a leadership role in the area of LPGA competition,” said Bivens.  “Tournament competition is one of the most important and certainly the most visible area of our business. 

And here I thought streaming upward brand dynamic models was the most visible area of LPGA business.

It not only impacts the LPGA players who compete week-in and week-out, but also impacts our fans and sponsors attending the tournaments, as well as the online and broadcast experiences.  Jane will lead our tournament officials and operations team, ensuring that the venues and the staging of events are optimal for maximum fan enjoyment and showcasing the very best golfers in the world.”

As vice president of competition, Geddes will oversee the selection and set up of all LPGA Tour golf courses and facilities, as well as the conduct of the competition, from the membership regulations process through the holing of the last putt.  She also will serve as the LPGA liaison to the recently acquired Duramed Futures Tour on matters regarding venues, competition and membership regulations.

Sounds like a job for about 9 people.

“I am excited about my new role since this is an opportunity to use my experiences as a player and, most recently, in tournament business, to further enhance the LPGA tournament experience for our players, our sponsors and our fans,” said Geddes. 

Today's key word: experience. How long before they start changing tournament names to the the ADT Experience?

We Love You Natalie! We Really, Really Love You!

Wow, I had no idea how desperately the golf publications were clamoring for a chance to milk a Natalie Gulbis win!  Golf World buried a PGA Championship preview for an action shot of Gulbis and all 6 feet of her legs. 

Meanwhile at golf.com's homepage you can't miss the soft core porn shots.

And I, being a total hit whore as much as the next blogger, am only posting this so that I can join in and exploit her smooth, tan, toned legs after this site welcomed 6000 new unique visitors in a three hour stretch yesterday thanks to Deadspin.

But just to show you I have standards, first, here is a teleconference call transcript helmed by Brian Robin. And second, to remind you what a first class operation this is, note that I did not not type the words "Natalie Gulbis nude photos" to attract hits from the inevitable 1000 daily unique Google searchers who truly have nothing to do at the office. Nope, I have standards. 

Is That Anyway To Treat A Flag?

Reader NRH noticed Natalie Gulbis's lack of American flag etiquette, but perhaps since she won the Evian Masters on French soil she was entitled to treat the flag as a stool cover? 

Now boys and girls, let's try to keep the photo captions PG-13 rated...photo courtesy of golf.com:

 

Hjorth, Miyazato, Lee and Kim Set For HSBC Final Four

And if you know their first names, well, you really are watching way too much of Golf Central.

"While increasing the economic opportunities for our members, marketing opportunities for sponsors and opportunities for fans..."

Who else could so relentless use the same word in one sentence? Why you know who, the Brand Lady, probably fresh from a downward brand stream integration meeting where they decided this news would be branded as creating "opportunities."

Readers LPGA Fan and Phil sent this news...

LPGA acquires Duramed FUTURES Tour

Women’s professional golf now under one umbrella

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., July 18, 2007 – Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Commissioner Carolyn F. Bivens, in conjunction with Zayra Calderon, president and CEO of the Duramed FUTURES Tour, announced today that the LPGA has acquired the Duramed FUTURES Tour effective immediately.  The Duramed FUTURES Tour has been the official developmental tour of the LPGA since 1999.  The announcement was made at the LPGA’s HSBC Women’s World Match Play Championship at Wykagyl Country Club in New Rochelle, N.Y.

        The Duramed FUTURES Tour offers rising stars in the women’s game the opportunity to prepare for a career on the LPGA.  For the past eight years, the Duramed FUTURES Tour has operated in a licensee role with the LPGA.  In recent years the organizations have worked closely to align business practices to assist the members of both tours with professional development, and to prepare members of the Duramed FUTURES Tour for the transition to the LPGA.  One of the biggest examples of the synergy between the two organizations over the years has been the awarding of coveted LPGA Tour cards for the top money leaders on the Duramed FUTURES Tour.  In 2003, the LPGA increased the cards from three to five.

“We are absolutely delighted that we have reached an agreement for the LPGA to acquire the Duramed FUTURES Tour,” Bivens said.  “This acquisition demonstrates our desire to fortify the LPGA as the home to the best golfers in the world, providing us with a powerful development system for women, while increasing the economic opportunities for our members, marketing opportunities for sponsors and opportunities for fans to enjoy the next generation of future LPGA stars.”

The acquisition will put women’s professional golf in the United States under one umbrella.  Together, the tours will bring the world’s best female professional golfers to more markets, resulting in increased exposure for the players, sponsors and tours.  Currently the LPGA has 35 tournaments worldwide and the Duramed FUTURES Tour has 19 tournaments in 14 states.

“The Duramed FUTURES Tour has strategically aligned with the LPGA to provide a seamless transition for Duramed FUTURES Tour players to the LPGA,” Calderon said.  “This agreement solidifies what all of us have been working toward for years – a cohesive tour system for the best talent in women’s golf.  The LPGA Tour features the very best in the game and the Duramed FUTURES Tour offers talented golfers and rising stars the opportunity to prepare for a career on the LPGA.”

Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.  Notable terms call for Calderon to remain as president and CEO of the Duramed FUTURES Tour and become a member of the LPGA’s senior management team. In addition, the Duramed FUTURES Tour staff will relocate from Lakeland, Fla., to the LPGA headquarters in Daytona Beach, Fla., by the end of the year.

"When golfers have options, they also have the potential to make mistakes."

Sam Weinman on the restored Wykagyl, home to this week's HSBC Match Play:

Among the intriguing elements of the match-play event's arrival is it comes on the heels of an extensive renovation to the club - one that has changed not just the aesthetic of the storied course, but how it will play.

By almost every account, those changes are particularly conducive to match play, where golfers have to constantly choose between a conservative or aggressive line. And after the renovations last year by the celebrated design team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, the difference between the two has been brought into sharper focus.

"The biggest difference is there's a lot more strategy involved," said Ben Hoffhine, Wykagyl's head pro. "And in match play, it's a lot more apparent because how you play is dictated by what your opponent does."

Said Chuck Del Priore, one of the club's top players and a member of its greens committee: "A lot of the weaker players will say the course got easier, and the better players think so, too. But what they're also finding is they're getting themselves in more trouble."

That a golf course can simultaneously be more accessible and more challenging is a reflection of the sheer volume of options players are now presented with. Trees have been cut down. Greens and fairways have been expanded. Once a string of 18 wooded holes in which target lines were quite obvious - i.e. just hit it between the trees - the sheer openness of holes means players this week will have new ways to attack them. Which also means they'll have new ways to mess them up.

"It used to be like a one-way street, but now you have tons of different options and lines," Hoffhine said. "And when golfers have options, they also have the potential to make mistakes."

Everyone Wants To Have Their Own Tournament!

Doug Ferguson reports that Lorena Ochoa is the latest, but the Brand Lady is worried. Thanks to the Golf Chick for this:

Ochoa's brother said the $1 million tournament would be limited to the top 30 players from the money list, and he was hopeful of a date the week before the season-ending ADT Championship, a spot on the calendar now occupied by the Tournament of Champions. He said he had a title sponsor lined up, but declined to identify it until contracts are signed.

LPGA Tour commissioner Carolyn Bivens, however, said nothing has been determined.

“I don't know how I'd handicap that,” Bivens said when asked the chances of the No. 1 player having her own tournament. “Next year's schedule is still being refined. She'd love to have a tournament down there next year, but it depends on finding a title sponsor and the right mix of sponsors.”

That's a non-committal committal.

Warning To Network Executives: Brand Lady To Come Knocking While You're On Vacation

...but at least she's presenting at the time of year when so many executives are vacationing in the Hamptons excited to hear pitches: August. Alan Blondin of The Sun News reports:

Bivens inherited cable contracts with ESPN and Golf Channel, and larger events are on ABC, NBC and CBS. Broadcast times vary greatly.

The tour will begin making presentations to network and cable stations in August. "The most important thing for the LPGA is to have a consistent television schedule," Bivens said. "It's very difficult for our fans to find where we are from week to week."

Since events in international locations aren't generally televised in the U.S., Bivens will try to group those to include dates when the LPGA would normally be dark, such as the weeks of the Masters, U.S. Open and PGA Championship.

That should ensure they'll never make it on American airwaves too. 

The events are important for exposure and lucrative deals with international television stations in which the LPGA is paid for broadcast rights - similar to the PGA Tour TV agreements. Right now the LPGA buys time on ESPN and the three major networks and has to sell commercial spots itself. It has other agreements with the Golf Channel.

Bivens said for 2010 and beyond she'll either seek rights fees or develop an LPGA production company that would buy time and produce the programming itself. "If you have a brand that is still forming like the LPGA, being able to control your production is worth a lot of money," Bivens said.

Wait, the brand is still forming? Well, how is it a brand if it hasn't formed yet?

"Especially in terms of educating the audience as to the personalities behind the athletes. We're a society where fans develop behind personalities."

Ahh...translation: lots of fluff!

But I'm back on this brand formtion stuff. Branding experts, could you tell us how you know a forming brand officially becomes a brand?