"We work for the greater glory of IMG."

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IMG head Teddy Forstmann sits down for a New York Times story by Richard Sandomir, and displays great humility...

“I know God gave me an unusual brain,” he said. “I can’t deny that. I know that he did. I don’t think you could work harder than I’ve worked.”

Later, he said: “I have a God-given talent for seeing potential.”
This one's good too...
“I have a pretty good record of not being wrong too often,” he said.
This caught my eye...

 

To date, his three acquisitions have been modest: two television production houses, and Tennis Week magazine and its Web site, which puts IMG in the position of covering players it represents. It does the same with fashion magazines that chronicle some of its modeling clients.

Just what golf needs, an IMG house organ! Playing tunes like this...

"This is not a golf or tennis or media business. We work for the greater glory of IMG.”

Mercedes Ratings Put Medicus, LaLanne Infomercials To Shame

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Unfortunately, according to a reader who gets Street and Smith's Sports Business Daily report, Golf Channel's four-round live coverage of the Mercedes Benz Championship averaged 370,728 households, down 44% from the event's four round average on ESPN last year.

The final round averaged a 505,129 households, down 49% from ESPN's 997,310 households in 2006.

Ty Votaw, The PGA Tour's Executive Vice President of Whatever Bob Combs Used To Be In Charge Of, issued this statement...

"Conclusions after only one event--and the first event--in this relationship are not terribly productive. We're pleased with what we achieved in that first event because they were consistent with our projections. 

So even if the numbers were lousy, our VP of Number Crunching got it right, so it's all good! 

We're on track with respect to where the Golf Channel is in distribution.

And that means? 

Production quality, energy levels of the commentators and the way they could personalize the players to a much greater degree were huge positives...

 Yeah those energy levels will pay the bills...

...if you compare what we've been able to achieve in this first week with the numbers in comparison to previous Golf Channel programming numbers, we're doing precisely what the Golf Channel has paid us to do: cause people to find the PGA Tour on the Golf Channel."

They are paying us to up their numbers.

Of course, the Tour's sponsors are also paying handsomely for certain numbers.

Golf Publication Circulation Numbers

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I recently posted note on ad sales declines at the golf magazines but had failed to post on this fall's circulation numbers, as published in the various issues. Thankfully, Lorin Anderson has done so and noted the stunning number of free copies being mailed out by Golf Magazine. He also takes a look at Golf 20/20, 7 years into that grow the game initiative.

While Lorin attributes some of Golf's decline to the state of the game, I do think it's worth noting that it has undergone a major editorial shift since Jim Frank's departure. And I'm wondering why I pay for it when nearly 500,000 aren't!

Tampa Situation

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Tim Finchem was asked last week about the sponsorship situation for Tampa's March event...

 Q. Speaking of sponsorship, why can't you find one for Tampa, and what's the status there?
COMMISSIONER TIM FINCHEM: I suspect we will, and we are in conversations with a sponsor right now, and we fully anticipate Tampa will be sponsored.

Q. By the time you get to the tournament?
COMMISSIONER TIM FINCHEM: We will have more to say about that in a couple of weeks.

Q. You can't tell us who it is?
COMMISSIONER TIM FINCHEM: That would be announcing it, and we're not prepared to announce it, no. (Laughter).
Bob Harig reports on that discussion today...
PGA Tour marketing executives lobbied Pinellas County tourism officials Wednesday for $4-million, funding they say is necessary to help secure the future of the local professional golf tournament beyond this year.

A presentation to the Tourist Development Council sought $2-million for this year's PGA event - formerly known as the Chrysler Championship - and another $2-million for 2008.

And the money quote...

Bill Foster, a St. Petersburg city councilman, brought up a point that is a factor at every PGA Tour event: Will all the best known players, the ones that draw the biggest crowds and TV audiences, show up.

"If you could assure us that Tiger (Woods), Phil (Mickelson), Vijay (Singh) and Ernie (Els) will be here..." he said.

 

"Whoop-di-doo."

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Fred Couples, quoted in Thomas Bonk's L.A. Times piece today, talking about the FedEx Cup playoffs:

"Right now, I figure if I'm 40th on the money list or 80th on the money list or 144th on the money list, I get to play in the first FedEx Cup," he said. "Whoop-di-doo."

Now, will Couples receive a monetary fine, or a FedEx Cup point deduction for that criticism? 

Unintentional Temporary Site Redesign

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No, that was not an intentional site redesign some of you witnessed overnight, but instead the product of yours truly wanting to see how one of the site host's new templates looked. Why it went live I have no idea. Example 4,592 why writers should stick to writing and stay out of web design.

In light of this debacle, I'm going to be posting a job offering later today. Just thinking out loud here, but VP of Web Intervals and Platform Coloration. MBA is a plus.

"Synthesize new technologies and trends into impacts, opportunities, threats and ultimately, strategy."

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Sounds like a job description at the Department of Homeland Security, right? Close! The PGA Tour, actually.

Reader Tom found some interesting positions opening up in Ponte Vedra, and I tell you, I'm polishing my resume as you read this. With my FedEx Cup messaging skills I just may have to say goodbye to the writing and course design world. Don't believe me?  Wouldn't you say I'd be a strong candidate for this one that lets you spend time with Ty Votaw or Bob Combs or some other VP:

POSITION OVERVIEW: Reporting to the Director of PR and Media Relations, this position is primarily responsible for development and implementation of the FedExCup messaging at each tournament site.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

· Advise/counsel players regarding media opportunities.

I do that!

· Assist in development and implementation of weekly TOUR/FedExCup messaging.

Check.

· Pursue and develop story lines about our athletes and the FedExCup.

· Assist New York PR agency in telling story of our athletes and the FedExCup.

· Create “player personality” database.

Check, check, check.

· Compile advance story ideas for assigned tournaments.

Is that like propaganda for lazy writers and TV producers? That I'm not so good at.

· Focus on publicity efforts for upcoming events.

· Serve as PGA TOUR/FedExCup spokesmen in press conferences or radio/television interviews.

My calling!

· Serve as liaison between players and media and between PGA TOUR HQ staff and players.

· Provide media with background information and story ideas on players, FedExCup, officials, tournament, etc.

· Maximize publicity efforts for TOUR Marketing Partners.

· Handle special circumstances and requests from players, media, sponsors, or TOUR staff.

· Attend host broadcaster production meeting every week.

Would I get to bond with Bobby Clampett?

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education/Certification: Bachelors degree required, preferably in Communications, Journalism, Business Management or Marketing.

I knew that Communications degree from Pepperdine was good for something.

Experience: Must have a minimum of 3-5 years experience in Media Relations, Event Management, or Public Relations preferably in a professional golf environment.

Skill set requirements:

    * Strong Oral and Written Communication    

    * Relationship Building

My specialty!

    * Collaboration and Teamwork    

    * Creativity and Innovation

    * Judgement    

    * Negotiating

    * Networking

    * Political Savvy

Done deal!

Wait, there is also this one...

POSITION OVERVIEW: Serves as main point of contact at TOUR for a sub-set of TOUR’s Official Marketing Partner relationships – many of which with Fortune 500 corporations. Plays a leadership role in the management of a portfolio of relationships.

I've always wanted my own portfolio of sub-set relationships.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:
§ Has responsibility for management of a portfolio of relationships valued at $30 – $50M

§ Has responsibility for monitoring contractual elements to ensure they are fully executed by TOUR and Partner

§ Has responsibility for maximizing revenue to TOUR via media, tournament, network, player spending from assigned Marketing Partners and grow even beyond the contractual requirements

Because after all, this is a non-profit organization.

§ Responsible for renewing the Partner (or finding a suitable replacement)

§ Develops strong and positive relationships with portfolio of Marketing Partners with objective of attaining high sponsor satisfaction

§ Responsible for having a deep understanding of Partners’ businesses and industries

Key word: deep.

§ Works closely with client on development of PR, promotion, advertising and relationship-building plans to ensure Partner fully leverages its relationship with PGA TOUR

I think it's well established that I'm all about leveraging brands.

§ Works with assigned Partners to implement TOUR-themed advertising and promotion which is prominent and delivers strong brand-building value to TOUR

§ Responsible for strategically identifying TOUR initiatives that fit the Partners’ objectives and selling concepts in to Partners

§ Monitors portfolio of Partner relationships and ensures that TOUR touches all levels of management at Partner (from day-to-day to CEO) and guides interaction between TOUR and Partner senior management

§ Responds to various Partner requests quickly and thoroughly and provides excellent service

Would you get the CMO another gin and tonic please?

You know, maybe not. But wait, I think this next one screams me!

POSITION OVERVIEW: The Manager will work very closely with the New Media Director to spot marketplace trends, evaluate new business opportunities, manage existing syndication partnerships and help close new deals and renewals.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

    * Renew and manage existing New Media partnerships.
    * Negotiate and close New Media deals in the U.S. and international markets.
    * Support analysis and create deliverables for larger partnership opportunities (e.g. RFP’s, presentations, models, draft of terms etc)

Hmmm...deliverables? Is creating a deliverable, like, you know, like, FedExing the Commissioner's broken wedge to Cleveland for overnight repair?

    * Research and evaluate new partnership opportunities -- investigate new ideas and prospects for validity, merits and potential.
    * Gather market research across the new media landscape, both U.S. and international – synthesize new technologies and trends into impacts, opportunities, threats and ultimately, strategy.

Ohhhhh!!! That's a winner. Synthesize new technologies and trends into impacts, opportunities, threats and ultimately, strategy. I think you get the job if you know what that means. Especially the threats part.

    * Develop and update monthly New Media newsletter summarizing trends and events that affect The Tour.

Ooops. That's TOUR, not The Tour. Sloppy branding I tell you!

    * Provide and assist with day-to-day communication with our strategic partner, Turner Sports Interactive. Help build network of contacts at TSI.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education/Certification: BA/BS or equivalent required/MBA is a plus

Oh is it ever a plus.

Van Sickle On GC

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Gary Van Sickle offered this reminder why we must be grateful for The Golf Channel GOLF CHANNEL's coverage, even if gets boring.
After only one event, it's way too early to judge The Golf Channel on its new venture into PGA Tour coverage. However, it has small shoes to fill and looked pretty good compared to the last few years in Hawaii with ESPN's C-team of Karl Ravech and Charlie Rymer. We'll reserve judgment until later but two things stood out from the Mercedes Championship.

Golf Channel Ownership ?

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Regarding the question I asked about the PGA Tour owning part of The Golf Channel, reader Rick shared this:

According to the Comcast annual report for 2005 (filed last spring), Comcast owned 99.9% of The Golf Channel.  It didn't say, as far as I could see, who owned the rest, but if Arnie was a co-founder, he probably owns the last sliver.

That may have changed since then, as of last spring, it didn't look like the tour owned any of the Golf Channel, and definitely could not have owned more than 0.01%.