Does The LPGA Want Out Of Its Golf Channel Deal?

Ron Sirak in GolfWorld is reporting that the LPGA wants out of its Golf Channel deal:

Sources tell Golf World the LPGA is looking for a way out of the 10-year contract that made Golf Channel the exclusive cable partner for the women’s tour beginning this year. The deal, negotiated by LPGA commissioner Carolyn Bivens (who was ousted in 2009) puts the LPGA at the end of a long line of live programming available to GC, including the PGA, European, Champions and Nationwide Tours. As a result, of the 94 official LPGA rounds this year, 38 were on delayed tape and 11 had no TV coverage at all—meaning more than half the tour’s rounds were not seen live. It’s hard to build a fan base that way.

The article also suggests that the LPGA might help its case by moving the finishing rounds to Monday, giving TGC another day of live programming.

I’ve suggested in the past that the LPGA should schedule its season opposite the PGA Tour. They should start their season in August, just after the PGA Championship, and then wind up with a season ending event the weekend before the Masters. It would take some tricky scheduling to avoid the cold weather, but it could be done. And done correctly, it would open some incredible marketing possibilities. That the Women’s Open Championship and the Women’s US Open are held in the summer months would be a bit tricky ...