Conference 7.286::golf

     Re: .0 
     > Fuming lately about athletes exorbitant salaries...

     I don't get upset about athletes salaries.  They make whatever 
     companies/others are willing to give them based on the demand 
     for their services.   Isn't that what capitalism is all about...
     ...a free market...supply vs demand.

     If Arnie makes $1M (or whatever he makes) doing Hertz (or is 
     it Avis) commercials, it's because there are people at Hertz 
     that think he can generate lots of money for Hertz........
     ...and isn't it only fair that Arnie be fairly compensated for 
     being able to generate big revenues?  Or should Arnie receive a 
     much smaller amount for the commercials and let the Hertz stock 
     holders enjoy larger dividends?

     Admittedly, some athletes make an almost unbelievable amount of 
     money, but I don't get upset at the thought of them making all 
     that money...  

        Color me Green...with envy.      

     $7M?___All_I_want_to_do_is_buy_a_new_set_of_clubs_before_the_spring

>     Or should Arnie receive a 
>     much smaller amount for the commercials and let the Hertz stock 
>     holders enjoy larger dividends?

      The always could reduce the price, more people would rent cars,
      they would make more money ... also I my vacations would be cheaper
      so I could go more often, and play more golf...and we would all
      be happy.

      Boy I didn't realize that Arnie's income was so drastically cutting
      into my golf. ;-)  And I've always like the guy.

      Larry

    >I don't get upset about athletes salaries.  They make whatever
    >companies/others are willing to give them based on the demand
    >for their services....
    
    How about what we as spectators in these sporting events are willing
    to pay?  I don't know about you but I've about had it with the
    outrageous price we are having to pay to see a game or event these
    days.  Maybe if salaries weren't so high these organizations wouldn't
    have to generate so much money and we could all afford to see them
    play!!!
    
                          
    Just my $.02
    
    	Mike

>    How about what we as spectators in these sporting events are willing
>    to pay?  I don't know about you but I've about had it with the
>    outrageous price we are having to pay to see a game or event these
>    days.  

     I would agree for most sports but golf is generally different because
     no one is guaranteed making any money.  In golf them that make the most
     bucks in the year (official $) is them that plays the best.

     Golf is probably one of the few spectator events where besides getting
     to watch good atheletes you also get some exercise at no additional cost!

     Larry

    
    Saw an interesting stat yesterday while watching the Doral,  Arnold
    Palmer won 61 tournaments for a total of 1.8 million dollars.  Mark
    Calcavecchia has won 8 tournaments for a total of 1.68 million dollars!
    Seems to me prize money is getting a little out of control these
    days.  I can't remember the last tourney with a pot less than  1
    million and a first prize less than 100K.  Where will it stop? 
    Maybe a 1 million first prize???  I'd hate to see golf take the
    road that almost every sport has nd turn into a business.  Its too
    fine a game to let that happen.
    
    	Mike

    Re: .2

    >They always could reduce the price, more people would rent cars, 
    >they would make more money....

    or maybe National Rent-a-car would get Arnie as a spokesman, 
    gradually get more customers from Hertz, and in the end National
    is the leader in car rentals, and Hertz develops slogans like
    "We're number 3, and we don't try at all". ;-)


    Re: .3

    >Maybe if salaries weren't so high these organizations wouldn't have 
    >to generate so much money...

    Riigght...maybe the government should control salaries and determine
    exactly what people get paid.... good idea COMRADE. ;-)

  
    Re: .5

    >I'd hate to see golf take the road that almost every sport has and 
    >turn into a business.

    Professional golf IS a business...but this isn't necessarily bad.
    - Corporate sponsors provide the $1M+ prize money because they believe 
      that publicity from having the tournament outweigh the costs.  
    - Any pro golfer that is any good, endorses may products for large 
      amounts of $.   
    - Golf is not just a game to the pro's.  Money is very important to 
      the players.
    - Every year many golfers don't stay on the tour because they didn't 
      make enough money, not because their average score or average finish 
      in a tournament wasn't good enough.  Last year I think the cutoff 
      was around $80k.

 
    Maybe_Dec_could_use_Arnie_in_commercials...    

    do you think BILL GLASSON is laughing all the way to the bank ??
    

    re: <do you think BILL GLASSON is laughing all the way to the bank ??>
    
         I think if I won that kind of bread, I'd be grinning
    form ear to ear!! GLASSON hardly cracked a smile.........
    I can't believe the distance he gets with the 7 & 8 iron!
    I can't wait to get out there...........
    
    Tom

    As all professional sports, the formula is:
    
    TV coverage $$  + Corporate sponsor $$ + other sponsors $$ + audience
    $$  -  Player expenses  (Prizes,  salaries,  etc)  -  other  expenses
    (course/arena/stadius rental, maintenance, etc) = profit (or loss) $$
    
    If any of the expenses  is  too high and/or income too low that makes
    the right side of the equation  negative, something then has to give.
    So as long are there are sponsors  and  fans making the income higher
    then the purses can continue to increase.
    
    As mentioned before pro golfers have to perform to make money.  Maybe
    other sports should  have  in  their  contracts  a  base  salary  and
    performance bonuses.  Who can guarantee the Red Sox that Clemens will
    deliver when he has a big income secure for the next three years?
    
    Tavo (who wishes that at least someone will pay for his green fees!)

    
    RE: .8
    
    	Tom,
    
    	I agree, you would think he would have been happy as hell, but
    	he sure didn't show it...!
    
    	Did you catch the little dig he gave Gary McCord (sp) when Gary
    	was interviewing Bill on one of the tees when play was backed
    	up...? Bill said to Gary something like, now I know why you
    	haven't won a tourney in 15 years on tour.  There was a lot
    	of snickers that could be heard from the other comentators...!
    
    
    	Gene (who_would_like_to_see_the_snow_melt_in_a_hurry...!)

    Gene,
    
     I did catch that... Did you see Calcevechia (sp) looking
    in Glassons bag when he hit that 7 iron, I think it was
    on the par 3??? Mark kinda shook his head and grabbed the 
    6 iron. Bill hit the the 8 iron about 187 yds. I think he 
    was kinda stunned that he won. He hit some beautiful shots. 
    What a head game golf is.........
    
    Tom

     Re .10 - I caught it too, and I think we need more commentaters
    and tour characters like Gary McCord and a hell of a lot less like
    Glasson. Face it, somebody's gonna win a lot of chips each week,
    and many of them will be zeroes like Glasson with no personality
    and with their egos all shrouded in their insecurities.
     We need superstars, and it's a pleasure to watch them play;
    furthermore, each of us can appreciate how tough it is to just get
    on the tour in the first place. However, they're playing a GAME,
    for chrissake, just one that appeals to enough people to make it
    a lucrative one. Sure it's a business too, and one which returns
    $$ to charity, but that doesn't make anyone who is talented enough
    to play it a god! If most of those guys disappeared tomorrow there
    are already kids out in the weeds at Clemson, O.S.U. (both O.S.U.'s),
    Wake Forest, Houston, B.Y.U., Miami, U.S.C., Texas etc. to take
    up the slack.
     I don't think Glasson meant anything intrinsically derogatory by
    what he said - he's probably not smart enough -, but as one who
    loves the game it kind of typified to me the attitude of some of
    these guys when they're off guard and reveal their true attitudes.
     Sorry about the soapbox, but the remark just rubbed me the wrong
    way.
    
    --The Skoal Bandit

    	I couldn't tell if it was a friendly dig or if it was intended
    to make him go away.  I find Gary a little obnoxious at times, but
    usually I like his lighter approach at announcing.
    	I can't knock Bill Glasson's apparent uneasiness in front of
    the camera.  Very few pro golfers are candidates for "Mr. Personality".
    Given the same situation, I wouldn't be very friendly either.
    Imagine interviewing Kevin McHale midway through the forth quarter
    after the the other team has cut the lead from 15 points to 5. 
    Bet you wouldn't want your kids listening to that. :^)
    	I think it was on 16 when Glasson hit an 8 from about 175 thinking
    he was gonna catch a flier, he didn't and ended up about 30 feet
    short.  At 18 he had a better lie and did catch one.  Kinda shows
    you just how tough this game is.
    
    -Alan-

    
    
      I think Glasson wanted to talk about his new son, but the
    commentators wanted to talk about his losing  strokes.  Its too
    bad the commentator could afford him the same opportunity that
    Payne Stewart had when he would stop to kiss his little girl.
    Glasson tried to come off on TV as having some personality but
    he had to answer the questions whether he wanted to or not.
    Besides, it takes time to develop the television personality.
    Jack Nicklaus was considered "cold" until the media "warmed" up
    to him.

    REF. .5
    
    Glasson was the 100th Millionaire. Isn't that incredible. I once heard
    Andy Bean make a comment to a tour rookie about Arnie and prize
    money. It was at the Kemper. Palmer was on the course with a huge
    following. Bean and the rookie were on the practice tee. Arnie must
    have made a birdie and the crowd went crazy echoing all the way
    back to the tee. The rook says to Bean " I can't believe those fans,
    the guys not going to make the cut and people are bull^&*% when
    he makes a three footer" Bean replies "Arnies the reason YOUR out
    here playing for a Million $ and don't forget it" 
    
    Needless to say the Rookie wanted to put his head in the sand and
    disappear.
    
    Ken   who_just_got_back_from_Myrtle_Beach_and_broke_80_for_the_first
    time_this_year.  (78 at Beechwood) 

    
     RE .15
    
            I love it. In my book Arnie is the best.
    
            And the rest of you hackers, get off Glasson's back. I mean
    give the guy a break. He just get's done winning a big tourney and
    the next thing he know's he has people tugging on his arms to sign
    his card and before he get's a chance to get it all together he's
    on national television in front of 4 million people being asked
    stupid question like ," how do you feel or what club did you hit
    on the eight". The guys not a movie star he's a golfer. You guys
    are to used to Reagan. I guess if one of you guys were in that
    situation you would just start a little soft shoe or tell a few
    jokes. Bottom line you would probably stand there with your jaw
    hanging down to your knees sweating pinnacles. So what do you think
    of that point of view.
    
    The Hoghead       
    
               P.S. McCord deserves everything he gets. Although he
    does have a great sence of humor nad I like his style. He lightens
    things up.

    I was reading an article about Chip Beck the other day and one of
    the things he said reminded me of just how far out of touch tour
    pros are with the rest of society. He was commenting on the purse
    for the Nabisco Championships and about how much $362,000 means.
    Why, if a person wasn't in golf it might take them 2 or 3 years
    to make that kind of money!! Who is he kidding???? Maybe in 10 years
    if I take standyby every week!!! Oh well, I guess the lifestyle
    of a professional athelete is so far removed from ours that I shouldn't
    expect them to really be in touch with what is going on.
    
    
    FRUSTRATED WORKING STIFF