Is golf really a "sport" at all, major or otherwise? I always think of golf as more of a "game" like tiddlywinks or something (but less interesting to watch). ;)
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You defining the "major" sports by those that sell the most tickets and draw the most market share. Yes, that is the NFL, MLB and NBA
I'd say that the market choosing to view golf over the MLB or the NBA has a much higher average income. The three major sports advertise with fast food and beer while golf goes after an entirely different market. Yes some cross over, but the three "major" sports are geared toward millennials first. I've had no desire to watch the NFL or NBA in years just because of the BS content.
No - the networks value the GOLF watcher and their pocket books for the ad dollar much more so than the NBA and MLB and it's not even close -
The question is can GOLF maintain that "niche" as you call it since the "death" of Tiger - because golf equipment sales are down, play is down globally etc etc etc
I've thought a lot about why golf play is down. IMO, Tiger's impact was more about TV viewers than public turn on/off to the game.
Kids played golf as a summer hobby back in they day. It was cheap and a great baby sitter. Almost every small town even in rural Louisiana had at least a 9 hole course. A couple of generations later young kids are interested in other sports like soccer. They'd also rather sit in the A/C with their phones than go outside and play any sport all day. Goodness forbid they actually have to walk the course instead of ride in a cart. Kids are soft now and the generation who focused on providing community 9 hole courses has almost died off. All those kids had high school or college buddies who took up the sport after high school sports. That's thousands of potential golfers we've lost causing community courses to have either shut down now or membership has almost died out. This is a nation wide thing. Cost of play has always been an excuse, but honestly it was never that expensive for a kid to play golf...until now.
Money is a big driver in the reason golf is down. However, locally there is a cheap option for kids that allows them to play all the courses around here, including Squire Creek very cheaply. The Front Nine Tour covers all of North LA and I think the cost is around $150- maybe a little more. That is a clinic per week and 5 tournaments. The younger kids are playing at Squire Creek today. Hopefully more kids will pick the game up- it is a great sport, hobby, past time, whatever you want to call it.:)
I don't disagree, but my main point is that the game has gone down in popularity over a long period of time and influenced by many things. Tiger Woods was not the main cause of the upswing in the 60s or the downswing of the last 2000s. The media has indoctrinated otherwise.
We were comparing event vs event. Think about what you're saying. How many golf tournaments are there? How many people play golf EVERY WEEKEND, YEAR AROUND?
Ten ways Golf beats Football:
http://www.scout.com/golf/story/1462...beats-football
Golf is not cheap and will always big a smaller sport that's popularity will ebb and flow. It can only be viewed as cheap when you compare it to the cost of playing through the years. You have to pay to play, buy clubs, buy balls. Compare that to other sports: football, basketball where you just need a ball, and baseball where you need a ball and glove. Golf ain't a cheap sport. Maybe "more affordable" than in years past.
Golf is cheaper than hunting or fishing...
It was inexpensive "back in the day". Muni courses charged a few bucks for an all day green fee. You could pick up a decent set of clubs and a bag for $100 or less (still can). Also used golf balls are not expensive.
As I said earlier, now there are fewer muni courses, kids won't walk because their Mom tells them it's too hot, and they would never be caught with a set of cheap clubs to go along with their $600 Iphone and dozen ProVs.
I started playing golf at about age 12. We used to play the "Junior Course" in City Park, green fees were 75 cents. It was a 9-hole course, remnants of the original course where the New Orleans Open was played. The best of the City Park courses was the "West Course" green fees were $2.25. There was a concession stand where you could get a huge fountain drink for 26 cents!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuNJq_wI1ns
Bring back Sandy Hills!
back to the subject of the original post, the rockets had him listed as being from "louisiana state" yesterday....
The Rockets published this pic today.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DEA2HcaVYAIaKBD.jpg:large