[ PGA TOUR ]
Finchem looks to
extend Hawaii deals
KAPALUA, Maui >> PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem arrived on Maui yesterday and will remain in the island chain through next weekend's Sony Open in Hawaii.
Finchem is here to discuss the future of the local events that have started the tour since 1999. Current contracts for the $5.3 million Mercedes Championships and the $4.8 million Sony Open are good through 2006.
A source familiar with the situation said Finchem is here to discuss extending those deals through 2010. In the past, network television contracts were reached first, then individual sponsorships were arranged throughout the year based partly on what each network was willing to pay to televise the respective tournaments.
This time around, Finchem is trying to nail down contracts with the respective tournaments, then reach a deal with the networks based on the purse of the individual events. The cost to do business on the PGA Tour has skyrocketed in recent years, making it difficult for the networks to charge the potential advertisers enough to make ends meet.
It's no secret that Sony Open officials had hoped Tiger Woods would commit to play in the tour's first full-field event sometime during the life of the contract. But that has yet to happen and likely won't as long as the tournament is held at the Waialae Country Club.
Practice facilities aren't up to modern standards, the driving range is not long enough and it's unlikely the country club will do major remodeling just to accommodate the players' needs to work on their games.
Woods played in only 18 PGA tournaments last year and is very selective where he makes his stops. He has never played in more than 21 tour events since turning pro in 1996. He has played in five of six Mercedes Championships since it moved to the Plantation Course in 1999. He won the event in a dramatic playoff with Ernie Els in 2000. At the time, it was the most-watched golf tournament on ESPN-TV.
One of the reasons the Mercedes Championships was moved to Hawaii was to allow the tour to broadcast its winners-only tournament in prime time and avoid going head-to-head with the National Football League playoffs.
In recent years, however, the NFL has shifted its playoffs to prime time, including yesterday's AFC game between New England and Tennessee. This weekend's golf ratings are expected to suffer somewhat, although today's final round won't have to contend too much with the NFL.
It's possible both tournaments could move to major networks and be lead-ins to the NFL playoffs if they remain in prime time. Finchem has said in recent reports that the tour is healthy and moving in a positive direction. It's unknown how much Mercedes and Sony will be asked to pay to keep their respective events, but it's likely to be within the current range.
Yesterday Finchem met with sponsor and site officials. He will do the same next week with Sony officials and those at the Waialae Country Club.