The Masters with no ‘patrons’

[Anthony Butler]

Murmurs from my former IBM colleagues that serious contingency meetings are taking place in Augusta about the 2020 Masters being held with no galleries.
e.g. How does the $10m of Masters merchandise get sold with no shoppers onsite?


Would  the lack of fans significantly change coverage of the tournament and offer the chance to bring the course into more focus and scrutiny?

[Erik J. Barzeski]

I think, given the likelihood that it would be a one-year thing, that this would be incredibly fascinating. I'd hope for wider camera shots showing off more of the course besides just the fairways. It might help people who have been there but particularly those who haven't to see how everything fits and flows together. To better understand the course.

[David Federman]

Very interesting viewing - and also, would affect play - e.g.  wayward shots would not be stopped by the patrons. The stands are probably in the process of being erected, but, if not, that would be another factor that would effect shots.

[jeffwarne]

Please move it to October.
Semi-dormant tawny brownish-greenish bermuda fairways.
Let's play it the way Jones and Mackenzie intended a winter club to look.


The hit on the city of an Augusta economy of a fanless Masters would be huge

[John Kavanaugh]

I won’t miss the ugliest spectators in sport.

[Peter Pallotta]

On the other hand, Augusta just might hire 5000 people who've already recovered from the virus to serve as extras, with a Hollywood AD to move them around the course as the 'shot' requires -- with CBS only cutting to the next scene when the stage has been set. The audio people could multiply the crowd noise/applause, or, if Tiger's in the lead just grab the noise from Nicklaus' win in '86 instead. And Jim Nantz wouldn't give it away.   

[John McCarthy]

If they opened up a one year only virtual pro shop the merchandise will sell within an hour.

[Peter Flory]

If they opened up a one year only virtual pro shop the merchandise will sell within an hour.

Good point. 

Imagine Tiger winning his final major with nobody there.  That would be a strange one for the ages. 

[Paul Jones]

I would think they have an insurance policy on the merchandise selling.

[Ben Hollerbach]

I won’t miss the ugliest spectators in sport.

If by ugly your referring too how the green jackets control patron behavior with an iron fist, sure but the spectators at the masters are the most well behaved of any event on the calendar.

[John Kavanaugh]

By ugly I meant in a genetic configuration pleasing to the eye.

[Kalen Braley]

By ugly I meant in a genetic configuration pleasing to the eye.

Careful John, Some might say the same thing about you! 


P.S.  I think it'd be interesting to see the pros play on a mostly empty ANGC.  (Guessing they would still allow family and support team to observe).  It'd be like watching a US Am....

[jeffwarne]

By ugly I meant in a genetic configuration pleasing to the eye.

P.S.  I think it'd be interesting to see the pros play on a mostly empty ANGC.  (Guessing they would still allow family and support team to observe).  It'd be like watching a US Am....

Erik,
Perfect time to sign up as Bubba's swing Coach

[Anthony Butler]

If they opened up a one year only virtual pro shop the merchandise will sell within an hour.

Bingo John... we have a winner.


My lemons to lemonade suggestion this morning. A lot of the infrastructure for e-commerce already exists as they have already have fully integrated remote inventory control and shipping services from the merchandise tent.

[Tom_Doak]

I would think they have an insurance policy on the merchandise selling.

That seems unlikely, since they are the ones who make the call on canceling the event.


The finances of Augusta National are the very definition of a "first world problem".  There are literally BILLIONS of people who have more at stake due to the coronavirus than they do.  It's only money, and they've got a lot of money already.




P.S. to Peter:  I'm not sure there are yet 5,000 recovered patients to sign up as patrons, and I doubt those just recovered would be keen to sign up for a mass gathering right now, anyway.

[Pete_Pittock]

I'm not as interested as a Masters without spectators as much as a Masters without a European contingent of players. I don't think that was thought through to conclusion. 

[Anthony Butler]

On the other hand, Augusta just might hire 5000 people who've already recovered from the virus to serve as extras.

Interesting to note there are at least 3,000 people other than gallery members onsite at ANGC during each day of the tournament. Of course a lot of those people would be unnecessary.... i.e. parking, crowd control, food services...but all the media, security, broadcast, and digital teams would be required. The last time I was there, I saw about 10 mins of live golf, so none of these people would add much to the spectator presence.

[Anthony Butler]

I'm not as interested as a Masters without spectators as much as a Masters without a European contingent of players. I don't think that was thought through to conclusion.

Flights are still departing from Paris at $3,000 for a one way ticket. If I had an invite to the Masters and I was still in Europe or elsewhere I’d think about getting on one of those flights. As it stands, the vast majority of the 2020 Masters field is currently teeing it up at TPC Sawgrass, so they’ll be ‘stuck’ in the US through mid-April.

[Michael Wolf]

John K you are way off of the mark on this one.


Augusta would consistently make the Top 5 Sundress Index's for most players and caddies. Phoenix, Colonial, Riviera, Austin are some of the other stalwarts.


Michael

[Kalen Braley]

John K you are way off of the mark on this one.

Augusta would consistently make the Top 5 Sundress Index's for most players and caddies. Phoenix, Colonial, Riviera, Austin are some of the other stalwarts.

Michael

Mike,

You may have missed the point.  I think what he was trying to say is: "Just because you can wear a sundress, doesn't mean you should"

[Edward Glidewell]

John K you are way off of the mark on this one.

Augusta would consistently make the Top 5 Sundress Index's for most players and caddies. Phoenix, Colonial, Riviera, Austin are some of the other stalwarts.

Michael

Mike,

You may have missed the point.  I think what he was trying to say is: "Just because you can wear a sundress, doesn't mean you should"

There are quite a lot of fans at the Masters who look good in a sundress.


I'm actually somewhat excited about watching it on TV with no fans. I've been there in person, but I think you'll be able to see the course better without fans lining the fairways. They also might have cameras in some new places.


I'm also not sure why anyone would be worried about European players -- most of them live/play in the US anyways, and you're no more likely to catch it in most of Europe than you are in the US (Italy excluded).

[Michael Wolf]

The only professional I can think of who's eligible for this years Masters who isn't playing at Sawgrass this week is Westwood. So no travel issue.


Players receive 12 tickets a day for family and friends plus a weekly badge for wife and children. You'd think non-competing invitees and spouses (past US and British Am champs, Walker Cup members), USGA and R&A committee members, heads of national golf associations like Oz and Canada, and limited guests of ANGC members would also still be in attendance. There are a ton of meetings that take place both on and off site among various golf associations during Masters week and for the week afterwards.


So I'd think you'd still have a couple thousand people on the grounds. And at that point you'd still need security, first aid, limited concessions, etc.


Obviously the Masters is far far down the list of things to be worried about right now. But it's gotta be a tough decision for the green coats. Especially since they are intimately aware of the financial impact there event has on the local economy for the week. 


Michael

[Steve Lapper]

I think the CBS Audio team is already mixing the bird tape with past, albeit muted, roars.


All they need now would be a subtle background of rustling magnolias and southern pines.

[Kalen Braley]

Obviously the Masters is far far down the list of things to be worried about right now. But it's gotta be a tough decision for the green coats. Especially since they are intimately aware of the financial impact there event has on the local economy for the week. 

Perhaps a bit a cynical here, but...

If the proverbial Golden Goose doesn't lay her golden eggs locally, perhaps it'll put enough/extra pressure on surrounding property owner holdouts, whose land they are trying to acquire.

[Rob Marshall]

By ugly I meant in a genetic configuration pleasing to the eye.

P.S.  I think it'd be interesting to see the pros play on a mostly empty ANGC.  (Guessing they would still allow family and support team to observe).  It'd be like watching a US Am....

Erik,
Perfect time to sign up as Bubba's swing Coach

I thought he already was ...