“What you’re seeing is that sports are becoming more relevant to more people.”

SBJ's John Ourand asks how high rights fees can go after another stellar Olympic rights battle and recent deals with college conferences, but does not mention the PGA Tour other than a chart valuing the average annual value of the PGA Tour television contract at $491.7 million.

“The market is very, very robust,” said CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus. “Each of the parties that’s spending this money must be figuring out a way to justify the rights that they are paying.”

The huge increases may have the feel of a market bubble, having grown so much in such a short amount of time. But veteran sports media executives believe the prices accurately reflect the value of the rights and have room to grow.

“Have sports rights peaked? I don’t think they have,” said NHL Chief Operating Officer John Collins. “What you’re seeing is that sports are becoming more relevant to more people.”

And it's all about cable.

Cable TV channels view sports programming as the easiest way to increase ratings and the license fees that distributors pay. Today, several cable networks actively are trying to add sports to their schedules, which, sports media executives say, is the main reason why media rights fees are rising so quickly.

Comcast wants more sports on Versus. Fox is putting more sports on FX. Turner is trying to build up truTV’s sports assets. And, of course, ESPN needs reams of sports content for its multiple TV channels, broadband platforms and mobile applications.

And great news for the PGA Tour, they...oh wait, what? Oh that's right they're locked into Golf Channel exclusively over 15 years, unless NBC wants to re-write the deal and throw some programming to Versus.

Vijay Has A Supporter!

My Golf World colleague Tim Rosaforte, responding to the criticism of Vijay for no-showing to Monday's U.S. Open Sectional qualifier in Columbus, writes in this week's issue that "it's understandable and excusable that the 48-year-old Hall-of-Famer didn't want to participate in the exhausting 36-hole process of U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying."

Even though Vijay received an exemption last year and even though he entered this year, Rosie the reasoner believes that Singh's fatigue with shooting 71 or 72 every day and needing to recharge the batteries was A-okay.

I'm good with that. Vijay is not required to play. 

What I think most of us have a problem with is not phoning in a WD when he knew after his final round 65 that he had no intention of playing.

U.S. Open 24-Year Sellout Streak On The Line?

I suppose it depends on your definition of a sellout...For Immediate Release:

LIMITED TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE FOR 2011 U.S. OPEN

Far Hills, N.J. (June 8) – Limited tickets remain for the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md.  

Daily Grounds and Trophy Club tickets for the practice rounds (Monday, June 13-Wednesday, June 15) and the opening championship round (Thursday, June 16) will be available for purchase on-site at Congressional. For the practice rounds, prices are $50 for daily Grounds tickets and $75 for daily Trophy Club tickets. For the first day of the championship (Thursday, June 16), Grounds tickets are $110 and Trophy Club tickets are $185.

Beginning Thursday, June 9, tickets can be purchased on-site at the U.S. Open Will Call located at the Main Admission Gate. Will Call hours of operation for Thursday, June 9 through Sunday, June 12 are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. This on-site sale of tickets coincides with the U.S. Open pre-championship merchandise sale taking place in the merchandise pavilion during the same hours.

Beginning Monday, June 13, remaining tickets can be purchased at the Main Will Call and the Clubhouse Will Call between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m., while supplies last.

Each buyer is permitted to purchase up to four tickets for each day. Tickets include complimentary general parking and shuttle transportation to and from the parking area and the championship entrance. Cameras are permitted on practice-round days only (June 13-15), providing an opportunity to photograph the world’s best golfers as they prepare to compete in the national championship.

Junior tickets are always available on-site at Will Call and at all admission gates during the championship. Juniors age 12 and younger will be admitted free of charge any day when accompanied by an adult ticket holder. Tickets for juniors 13 to 17 years old will be available for purchase at a reduced rate of $15 for practice rounds and $35 for championship rounds. There is a maximum of two junior tickets per one adult ticket holder. Junior tickets permit Trophy Club access only when accompanied by an adult Trophy Club ticket holder. Junior tickets do not permit 1895 Club access.

The U.S. Open has sold out for 24 consecutive years. For more information about pricing, parking and a list of prohibited items, visit www.USOPEN.com.

The Long, Ugly SilverRock Saga Continues

Larry Bohannan reports the Arnold Palmer-designed course in La Quinta has been dropped from the new Hope rotation, which only has room for three courses.

At a reported cost of at least $58 million, this one has to go down as one of the great tragedies of modern design. The city had a lovely site, an open bidding process with a wide variety of architects offering ideas for something different in desert golf, but all along the job was going to Palmer because of his name. They poured massive sums into building it, then put more money in to fix design flaws pointed out by the tour, only to get just a few Bob Hopes and little in the way of positive buzz.

Say Your Prayers For The Congressional Maintenance Staff

The greens were rebuilt after the 2009 AT&T National and some of us questioned rebuilding greens so close to a national championship, but the USGA gave the thumb's up and by all accounts, the grass has been doing fine. But this weather forecast--record highs possible the next two days--is going to test superintendent Mike Giuffre and staff.

Giuffre talks to GCSAA TV about the benefits of the SubAir system in the greens that will surely be put to use the next few days, but technology can only do so much for bent grass greens in 100 degree heat when cut at 1/8 of an inch.

Tiger Out Of The U.S. Open

He tweets the news:

And from his website:

"I am extremely disappointed that I won't be playing in the U.S. Open, but it's time for me to listen to my doctors and focus on the future," Woods said. "I was hopeful that I could play, but if I did, I risk further damage to my left leg. My knee and Achilles tendon are not fully healed. I hope to be ready for AT&T National, the next two majors and the rest of the year."

Update on 2011-06-07 23:38 by Geoff

**From Doug Ferguson, AP:

"It's been a frustrating and difficult year, but I'm committed to my longterm health," Woods said. "I want to thank the fans for their encouragement and support. I am truly grateful and will be back playing when I can."
The question is when he returns.

Woods is recovering from injuries to his left knee ligaments and left Achilles', and his Achilles' is believed to be giving him more trouble.

"My man is hurting," Arjun Atwal, a close friend and frequent practice partner, said last week at the Memorial. "He's in a boot, he's on crutches. Not doing good."

Bob Harig, ESPN.com:

We haven't seen him on a golf course since, and he wasn't scheduled to even begin trying to get back on his feet until last week. And he was supposed to play the U.S. Open in a little over a week? With 9 holes of competition since the Masters?

He is far better off skipping it, getting healthy, and focusing on the rest of the year, the rest of his career.

Steve Elling talked to the USGA's Mike Davis who confirmed the timing and details of the WD and that Tiger did try to test out the injury before making his decision.

"I talked to Mark last Friday and that was the first day, I believe, that Tiger was going to try to hit balls, to go slowly to see if it went well. I guess it didn't."

Ron Sirak analyzes the latest news and also takes us through the recent timeline of the current injury, which still seems odd considering the appearance of physical well being during the China trip.

In April, after a business trip to China and Korea following a T-4 finish at the Masters, Woods was diagnosed with a Grade 1 mild medial collateral ligament sprain to his left knee and a mild strain to his left Achilles tendon, according to his spokespeople. Woods said the injuries were suffered while hitting a second shot from under the Eisenhower tree at hole No. 17 during the third round at the Masters.

Tiger skipped the Wells Fargo Championship and withdrew after nine holes in the first round at the Players after shooting a 42. He said at the time he had reinjured his leg on the opening tee shot.

Just When Richie Ramsay Thinks He's In, USGA Pulls Him Back Out

Ramsay, who left an Open Championship qualifier and missed a playoff, is an alternate in the U.S. Open after it was initially reported that the Walton Heath qualifier had received an extra spot.

Doug Ferguson explains:

USGA spokesman Pete Kowalski had said Tuesday morning that two extra spots were given to qualifying sites in England and Japan, and Ramsay would be going to Congressional for the U.S. Open next week.

Kowalski later clarified that those spots already had been awarded, and Ramsay remains first alternate out of the England sectional qualifier. The extra spot already had been awarded to Andreas Harto of Denmark.
Likewise, Masaya Tomida remains an alternate from the Japan site.

Ramsay already has been through a lot in this process. He left the qualifier to attend a wedding reception, thinking his score would not be good enough. He missed his flight to the reception, found out he would be in a playoff and couldn't get back to the course in time.

“Ernie, sadly, never understood the whole picture."

Barry Srvluga files a lengthy and excellent profile of Ernie Els, 1997 U.S. Open Champion at Congressional. Strong words from his former swing coach at the time:

Those accomplishments — or lack of them, in his view — define Els as a golfer. Among active players, only Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have won more majors. Even at 41, Els’s circumstances on the course seem no different: same relaxed demeanor, same languid swing, same abundant gifts. So it’s not just Els who wonders: Could more have been expected from someone who owns 39 worldwide victories?

“Ernie, sadly, never understood the whole picture,” said Robert Baker, Els’s swing coach when he won at Congressional. “I mean this with the greatest respect, because I love the guy, and I love Ernie Els’s game. But Ernie should have won a lot more majors. As a golfer, he’s had a great career. But did he capture his potential? Not even close.”