ATLANTA — ”I used to be within the Virgin Islands as soon as. I met a woman. We ate lobster, drank piña coladas. At sundown we made love like sea otters,” Invoice Murray rants in regards to the repetitiveness of his existence within the film “Groundhog Day.” “That was a fairly good day. Why couldn’t I get that day again and again and over?”
Jay Monahan’s groundhog days additionally lack lobster, piña coladas and escapades worthy of frisky marine mammals. As an alternative, his contain press conferences by which he repeatedly declines to reply questions in regards to the one topic of us want to hear from him on: the state of negotiations with the Saudi Arabian Public Funding Fund. Wednesday introduced one other of these at East Lake Golf Membership in the course of the commissioner’s press briefing on the Tour Championship, the transcript of which can present appreciable overlap along with his final one, on the Gamers Championship in March, and along with his look right here final yr. That Monahan has really provided extra element on the talks than his PIF counterpart, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, counts for naught since MBS’s bag man doesn’t make himself out there for questions and is held to completely different requirements in lots of issues, not least transparency and accountability.
There have been a number of subjects Monahan was keen to debate — his themes have been “engagement, momentum and innovation” — however the focus was, predictably, on what he didn’t say. Or extra precisely, what he wouldn’t say.
“Because it pertains to any particulars of the conversations that we’re having with the Public Funding Fund, I’m not going to reveal particulars. I’m not going to get into specifics.”
“I’m not going to barter particulars in public or disclose particulars or specifics. All I can say is that conversations proceed, and so they’re productive.”
“If you get into productive conversations, that enhances the chance of optimistic outcomes, and that enhances the spirit of these very conversations. I believe that’s the place issues stand.”
The truth that Monahan gained’t speak doesn’t imply there isn’t one thing to speak about. There’s a distinction between being evasive and easily not being expansive. Sources conversant in the present state of the PIF discussions recommend there’s occasional exercise however that any particulars are being laboriously lawyered. It’s additionally obvious that Monahan issues himself with only one constituency: the Tour’s Coverage Board, or extra particularly, the player-directors on that physique. He is aware of that unilateral selections are past his remit as commissioner due to the trilateral fee that created the controversial Framework Settlement. He’s clearly uninterested within the two precincts most vocal about desirous to see motion on a deal: golf media (thirsty for brand new materials), and LIV gamers (determined to be insulated from the results of their selections).
That Monahan isn’t listening to a clamor for progress from his personal members signifies how the steadiness of energy has subtly shifted within the Tour’s favor.
Standard knowledge has lengthy held {that a} delay in reaching a deal is disadvantageous to the Tour, that point permits LIV extra alternative to poach gamers, that point bleeds out the Tour’s product, that point amplifies discontent amongst followers, sponsors and companions.
However one remark that handed largely unnoticed in Monahan’s ready remarks hinted at a shifting actuality. “We now have the construction and the sources we have to outline the way forward for skilled golf on our phrases and the numerous help of a world-class group of traders,” he stated, referring to Strategic Sports activities Group, which injected $1.5 billion into the Tour in January.
Humorist Will Rogers as soon as described diplomacy because the artwork of claiming “good doggie” till you discover a rock. In SSG, Monahan discovered his rock. It supplied him one thing the Tour didn’t have a yr in the past: $1.5 billion price of choices.
To make certain, there are weeks when the PGA Tour’s product struggles to breathe, however by comparability, LIV’s is in hospice care. It has an viewers that might be comfortably accommodated in one among East Lake’s hospitality suites (so long as there’s wifi for on-line trolling), zero market traction, costly contract renewals looming, all whereas being hostage to capricious inside politics in Riyadh. Monahan might be forgiven for considering his hand is strengthened as time passes.
Solely when a PIF deal is introduced does the clock begin ticking on the inevitable and time-consuming Division of Justice overview as as to if it’s anti-competitive. Monahan should know that the DOJ will nearly definitely demand PIF flip over the identical discovery supplies it refused to submit in the course of the unique antitrust litigation towards the PGA Tour, and which it gained’t give to a U.S. Senate subcommittee. Why would the Tour break right into a dash when operating a marathon by which its solely competitor has extra hurdles and potholes to navigate?
For all of the occasions he selected to stay circumspect at present on the prospects of a deal, Monahan gamely tried to put out a imaginative and prescient for the Tour’s future. There’s a plan to deal with fan frustrations (although it’s not readily obvious how can or will ameliorate broadcaster angst over rankings slumps). It stays to be seen what enhancements or improvements his “Fan Ahead” technique will really ship, however its existence at the least alerts consciousness that the Tour’s most pissed-off constituency is being heard, one thing Monahan promised to deal with again in March.
“We’re transferring ahead at velocity and targeted on what we are able to management, as a result of that’s what we owe to our followers,” the commish stated.
He didn’t announce $1.5 billion price of innovation although, which raises intriguing questions in regards to the Tour’s future ambitions or acquisitions with its nest egg. That too can be a delicate topic, and questions he in all probability plans to go away unanswered at his subsequent “State of the Tour” press convention, seven months from now.
