The reality is, earning profits solely from working a tour is hard – whether or not it’s the PGA Tour or the DP World Tour, many of the cash will get funnelled again to the gamers.
So we’re pondering larger. For instance, we’re about to launch our first Legends Tour Resort, a mission price £600 million.
We’re additionally exploring branded academies, actual property alternatives tied to golf programs, and even attire traces. We need to create an ecosystem across the Tour that faucets into varied income streams past simply the tournaments.
The discourse round skilled golf, definitely within the males’s recreation, has been dominated by prize cash and the huge quantities that gamers can earn. Do you assume the general public is getting bored with the fixed concentrate on cash?
There’s some huge cash in skilled sports activities typically — take a look at soccer or Components One — and I don’t assume individuals are essentially fed up with it.
The problem is ensuring tournaments stay commercially viable, particularly with all of the competitors from entities like LIV Golf.
We’ve grown our prize fund on the Legends Tour considerably since I took over, from $3.9 million to round $8 million this 12 months, and we’re aiming for $10 million subsequent 12 months.
By 2030, we need to have 15 tournaments with $2 million prize swimming pools every, plus the majors. It’s formidable, however we’re constructing an ecosystem to help that progress.
Are you able to inform me about your relationship with the Trump organisation?
It’s been unbelievable. Eric Trump, particularly, has been very supportive of our occasions, and the workforce at Trump Aberdeen did an exceptional job with the internet hosting of the PGA Seniors Championship.
Donald Trump himself even took the time to ship a private message to the gamers earlier than one in every of our tournaments and referred to as the winner afterwards, which was a pleasant contact.
Say what you’ll about Trump, however the individuals in his organisation are top-notch, they usually’ve been nice companions for us.
Lastly, the place do you play your golf and do you will have a favorite course?
Within the UK, Wentworth and Beaverbrook are my golf equipment. Wentworth is my residence membership and I really like the West Course. Beaverbrook is a non-public members membership close to Leatherhead in Surrey the place the entire setting is one thing actually particular.
I spend various time in southern Spain and Finca Cortesin is my residence membership when I’m based mostly over there. A little bit bit like Beaverbrook, it has a particular really feel to it. I completely find it irresistible there!
