NEWS FROM THE TOUR VANS
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The Range Rat has been drinking from a fire hose trying to figure out how professional golf’s new world order could affect the equipment realm.
If the framework agreement between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and the Public Investment Fund that finances LIV Golf becomes official, there could be meaningful gear effects on multiple levels – although this is all purely speculation at this point.
For starters, it’s fair to say that manufacturers and apparel companies have taken a decidedly cautious stance with LIV given the awkward situation over the past year. We’re now wondering whether that could be relieved.
In the past 12 months and change, there has been little brand promotion when players win LIV events, and companies have supplied limited rep staffing at tournament sites. Of particular note, several contracts have not been renewed, such as Cobra parting ways with Bryson DeChambeau and PXG doing the same with the likes of Patrick Reed, Pat Perez, Jason Kokrak, Hudson Swafford and Cameron Tringale.
LIV’s exposure pales in comparison to that of the PGA Tour, and most players are contractually obligated to wear team apparel during LIV competitions; many also have to wear team logos during major championships. That, and the controversial nature of Saudi Arabia being an irrational actor in disrupting golf, decreased the sponsorship value for manufacturers, apparel brands and other companies that could find their way onto a shirt or golf bag.
On the TaylorMade website, Dustin Johnson is conspicuously absent from a nine-player image at the top of the Team TaylorMade page. That is indicative of how brands have tried to stay away from putting LIV players in the spotlight.
There have been exceptions, such as Cleveland/Srixon boasting about Brooks Koepka’s PGA Championship win and Ping being more accommodating with gear help for its LIV players, but that cautiousness generally has remained true.
However, with the prospect of LIV golf fading away after its 2023 schedule, those players could return to the PGA Tour. It’s a potential boon for brands that could have their prominent players back into the promotional fold on and off the course. It will be interesting to see whether there is a lingering stigma for LIV players. The guess here is that it will be more of a player-by-player basis rather than one blanket feeling.
Also, if some form of team golf does make its way to the PGA Tour down the road – and it seems a distinct possibility – equipment manufacturers and apparel brands realistically could get involved with sponsoring teams. We have seen this in Formula One racing where car companies have their stable of drivers, and it could be a fit in the golf space. Imagine a Nike team of Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Koepka and Tommy Fleetwood competing together in a few tournaments per year. No brand was going to dive into LIV head first, but it seems as if there could be more of a green light to take something like this on if it were to be PGA Tour-based – even if the Saudis are involved.
Another point of speculation is that brands might begin to focus more heavily on star players and influencers outside of pro golf rather than middle-of-the-pack pro golfers. We were already seeing this, and now it might skew even further in that direction.
The traditional model for golf equipment and apparel sales has always been “don’t you want to be like this player who can hit it 330 yards down the middle of the fairway using our gear?” That model has diversified in recent years as companies have started to rely on more relatable people within sports, media and beyond.
The No Laying Up crew is sponsored by Titleist, the Barstool Golf team is sponsored by TaylorMade and there is a growing list of professional athletes in other sports who are sponsored by various golf companies. For example, Steph Curry of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors and Justin Herbert of the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers are in the Callaway stable.
Who is selling more gear? A media outlet or professional athlete with a loyal, engaged fanbase? Or a mostly faceless professional golfer who now plays for increasingly ridiculous sums of money?
The average pro golfer can only be so relatable, and this new deal seemingly makes LIV players, in particular, even less relatable. A top-end, non-confrontational guy such as Johnson likely still will be worth the investment, given his profile, but it’s not a crazy thought to wonder whether some consumers will be unimpressed by certain LIV players coming back to the PGA Tour. In some cases, consumers could be even less inclined to buy gear if a villainous player is touting a brand.
Overall, this is a likely long-term win for manufacturers and brands. We expect more caution in the short-term, but there is potential flexibility and opportunity in the future.
Sean Fairholm