2012 US Open, The Olympic Club

[Ken]

Berman works for ESPN.....

[Kevin Greene]

Just took back a share of the lead. BTW if you have DirecTV and you aren't using the 'Golf Experience' channels in the 700s, you are missing out. No Chris Berman

Berman works for ESPN.....

I realize that but asked based off the earlier post.

Edit: OK, I see he only worked the coverage Thurs/Fri.

[Ken]

^ Well the coverage is on NBC, so no Berman.

[TruCatzFan]

Tiger Woods is Golf. You can hate him all u want and for whatever reasons you want. If he's not playing in this tourney, the network would have been under water!

[stirs]

That's just it. Tiger Woods is not golf, no more than Niklaus or Phil. If you have ever played the game, you do not need a hype machine to get you interested. I will agree that money has driven the broadcasts to do things they normally would not have done. McDowell and Furyk will have an epic battle today. For the "golf" fan, it will be great. For the hype fan, not so much.

It's like saying the Dallas Cowboys are football.

[TylerVagyler]

That's just it. Tiger Woods is not golf, no more than Niklaus or Phil. If you have ever played the game, you do not need a hype machine to get you interested. I will agree that money has driven the broadcasts to do things they normally would not have done. McDowell and Furyk will have an epic battle today. For the "golf" fan, it will be great. For the hype fan, not so much.

It's like saying the Dallas Cowboys are football.

The ratings are always higher when Tiger is in contention. Ticket sales are higher when Tiger plays. There is more excitement and attention around the game when Tiger is in contention. I understand your point about the "hype fan" but the Dallas Cowboys comparison was bad.

[stirs]

No team brings in more "hype" cash than Jerry Jones' Cowboys. When they are in Charlotte, half the stadium is full of Cowboy fans. But, they are not football like all their psuedo fans believe. Neither is Tiger even though the networks hope to keep the hype and ratings going. They are doing pretty well actually to keep the audience centered on a guy who more and more looks like his time is slipping away.

What golf needs to do is to get folks interested in the game, because very soon, Tiger will be gone and the game will suffer immeasureably if they do not get away from hyping a player rather than the sport.

[Darth Biscuit]

Is Berman going to be doing the broadcast today, because it will be unwatchable if that's the case.

This we can agree on KG, Berman is bad at announcing period... NBC is better, but CBS has the best golf coverage by far...

Tiger Woods is Golf. You can hate him all u want and for whatever reasons you want. If he's not playing in this tourney, the network would have been under water!

I couldn't disagree with this more. Tiger is one player. Yes, he's a star, yes the galleries love him and the networks do too. yes, he is arguably the best player ever (although I think Jack still has the edge), but no, he is not golf.

There are SO many good players on tour, so many players that I love to watch I can't even name them all, Phil, DJ, Bubba, Haas, Fowler, Rory, Tom Watson, Anthony Kim, Stricker, Vegas, and on and on...

Not to mention the fact that stirs has already mentioned... Tiger is such an asshole. I've been to dozens of pro tourneys, he's not the biggest asshole, but he's up there. So many other golfers speak to the galleries and are just generally more pleasant on the course. People like a winner which is why Tiger's galleries are so big.

By the way, as I type this... Tiger is butchering #3... he's checked out of this tournament mentally.

[Ken]

Yeah the tourney is over for Tiger... +7 now.

[Anybodyhome]

Tiger's day thru the first 3 holes: bogey, boegy, double bogey... keep waiting for the network to announce his charge toward the top of the leaderboard!

[ladypanther]

Hossler just chipped in for par at 1. This is fun.

[Kevin Greene]

That's just it. Tiger Woods is not golf, no more than Niklaus or Phil. If you have ever played the game, you do not need a hype machine to get you interested. I will agree that money has driven the broadcasts to do things they normally would not have done. McDowell and Furyk will have an epic battle today. For the "golf" fan, it will be great. For the hype fan, not so much.

It's like saying the Dallas Cowboys are football.

Lolz, Tiger isn't golf?

Only the greatest golfer of our generation more correctly.

Tiger is one of those transcendent personalities like a David Beckham, Wayne Gretzky, MIcheal Jordan. People who normally wouldn't watch a sport tune in in huge numbers to see what is next. I'm an avid golfer and would most likely watch either way but the fact is golf ratings to the general public plummet when Tiger is not playing.

This equates to ratings, revenue and more money for every Pro golfer on the tour when you have a draw like Tiger in the field.

[DirtyMagic97]

I couldn't disagree with this more. Tiger is one player. Yes, he's a star, yes the galleries love him and the networks do too. yes, he is arguably the best player ever (although I think Jack still has the edge), but no, he is not golf.

There are SO many good players on tour, so many players that I love to watch I can't even name them all, Phil, DJ, Bubba, Haas, Fowler, Rory, Tom Watson, Anthony Kim, Stricker, Vegas, and on and on...

Not to mention the fact that stirs has already mentioned... Tiger is such an asshole. I've been to dozens of pro tourneys, he's not the biggest asshole, but he's up there. So many other golfers speak to the galleries and are just generally more pleasant on the course. People like a winner which is why Tiger's galleries are so big.

By the way, as I type this... Tiger is butchering #3... he's checked out of this tournament mentally.

I don't think anyone is saying that golf can't exist without Tiger Woods. But golf, as it exists today, completely and entirely revolves around Tiger Woods and his successes/failures.

You do not judge the success and popularity of a sport solely by its hardcore, dedicated fans. They will be there regardless of the state of the sport. I know several people who play golf religiously that absolutely will not watch golf unless Tiger is in contention.

Tiger being in contention in this year's US Open created their highest ratings in years. I believe it was up 50% from last year. If that is not a sport revolving around one player, then I don't know what is.

Sure, the sport can and will survive without Tiger. But unless another player or two can consistently challenge records, the less hardcore fans are not going to tune in anymore.

[Boltergeist]

That whoosh you just heard was everyone in Tiger's gallery trying to get a good view of Beau Hossler