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LPGA News: Another withdrawal for Michelle Wie, LPGA seeks new partners…again

Proving that she still makes headlines for doing nothing at all, Michelle Wie withdrew from the Safeway Open, citing a “re-tweaked” wrist. Tweak, tweak, tweak…maybe it’s time for some surgery. After all, how is she going to be the first woman in the Masters and Ryder Cup team if she can’t even hit balls out of the rough on the Stanford driving range?

While we are on the topic, the LPGA needs a new sponsor for the Fields Open, the Safeway, and maybe other tournaments as well. From the article:

“If you are a fan of the LPGA and the Safeway International, you’ve got to be a little bit scared. Four tournaments into the 2008 season and already two of those four events are on the endangered list and need sponsors if they are to return in 2009.

For those keeping track, the Fields Open in Hawaii — the second tournament of the season won by Paula Creamer — reportedly is not only searching for a new title sponsor, it also needs a new course to host the tournament.”

This is what happens when you hire an intellectual property dweeb to run a major sports league – rotating sponsors and an alphabet soup of tournament names which no one remembers from week-to-week, let alone year-to-year. Fans need grounding and a consistent schedule in order to form a bond between themselves and the LPGA. Moreover, when tournaments are replaced and rotated willy-nilly it looks more like a seat-of-the-pants, down-at-the-heels operation. Tournaments grow in stature over years. The LPGA gives the impression – right or wrong – that it cares more for the short term and in prizing the last dollar off the table, than in the long term good and welfare of the league.

In a sentence, maybe Carolyn Bivens needs to focus less on the LPGA’s brand and more on its image and reputation.

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