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Carl Rogers

  • Karma: +0/-0
Very OT - Tour Players Media requirements
« on: May 31, 2021, 10:29:47 PM »
See women's tennis players French Open withdrawal ......
Do pro golfers contractural have media obligations?
I decline to accept the end of man. ... William Faulkner

Michael Wolf

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Very OT - Tour Players Media requirements
« Reply #1 on: May 31, 2021, 11:15:24 PM »
The short answer is yes they do.


The longer answer is "sometimes". Tour members have Sponsor Value obligations that, depending on a players FedEx Cup standing and hometown popularity, can compel him to participate in a pro am, attend a sponsor or volunteer dinner, film a promotional spot, or interact with an events designated charities. Players have a couple of annual excused absences, but other than that it's mandatory. Many of these Sponsor Value obligations come with a media component. The LPGA is even more proactive in educating their players on the need to promote themselves and their Tour. 


As far as the post rounders that Naomi Osaka was declining - Tour players are independent contractors. So on a day to day basis they can pick and choose who they say what to. Overall I guess there is a technical obligation. Although there is no reason to enforce it when a player has already decided they don't want to talk. Otherwise you'd just end up with a Marshon Lynch situation where a player is just saying "no comment" over and over again. But the media areas for the quick hit post rounders are usually directly in the players route from 18th green to scoring area to locker room. So if a player doesn't want to talk after a bad round he's still going to have to walk right past the media.


There IS an obligation in the player code of conduct section that prohibits them from making public comments "unreasonably attacking or disparaging" tournaments, sponsors, fellow members or the Tour itself. Penalties would fall under Conduct Unbecoming A Professional.


The paperwork you sign when you enter the Masters or PGA Championship has language compelling some media interaction. I haven't read the USGA rights release in a while, but I believe they require media cooperation if you want to collect all of your winnings.


Michael




Tom_Doak

  • Karma: +3/-1
Re: Very OT - Tour Players Media requirements
« Reply #2 on: June 01, 2021, 09:46:21 AM »
Unsaid is that a lot of athletes dislike these requirements, for varying reasons.  They would love to find excuses to avoid the responsibility, which is probably why the authorities are so heavy-handed about making no exceptions.


IMO the official response to Osaka's situation was over the top:  threatening to disqualify her, and ban her from other majors, for not doing post-round press conferences?  It was actually quite similar to Jay Monahan's threats regarding the world golf tour -- so strong that it seems they are protecting more than the sport -- like, maybe, their own personal high salaries for running it?

John Kavanaugh

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Very OT - Tour Players Media requirements
« Reply #3 on: June 01, 2021, 09:49:38 AM »
Thank God it's the French. Who was the one guy in the top 100 that skipped the PGA?

Thomas Dai

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Very OT - Tour Players Media requirements
« Reply #4 on: June 01, 2021, 10:44:37 AM »
An aspect of recent era TV is how some of the commentators seem to be the same folks who when they were players weren’t exactly known for being particularly media friendly. I wonder if £$€ is involved? Just curious.
Atb