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  1. #1
    Founder Kilroy is on a distinguished road Kilroy's Avatar
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    Commercial Free Masters 2003

    Interesting development at Augusta.... like to be a fly on the wall at CBS this week, hehe.
    ---------------------------

    Augusta sidelines sponsors
    for ‘03 Masters Tournament
    Commercial-free telecast
    a response to NCWO friction

    BY DOUG FERGUSON, ASSOCIATED PRESS

    The Masters is going commercial-free, dropping its corporate sponsors to avoid pressure on them by a women’s organization that challenged Augusta National’s all-male membership.

    Club chairman Hootie Johnson on Aug. 30 notified the tournament’s three sponsors — IBM, Citigroup and Coca-Cola — that the Masters “will not request their participation” in 2003.

    Those were the only companies that were allowed to run ads during the broadcast. Their logos also appeared on the Masters’ Web site.

    “This year’s telecast will be conducted by the Masters Tournament,” Johnson said in a statement. “We appreciate everything our media sponsors have done for us, but under the circumstances, we think it is important to take this step.”

    The Masters, which traditionally has the highest ratings in golf, will be the only commercial-free telecast in sports.

    The friction began in June when Martha Burk, head of the National Council of Women’s Organization, sent Johnson a letter urging him to add women to its membership.

    Johnson said he canceled the one-year sponsorship contracts because the NCWO had launched a corporate campaign against the club.

    Johnson has said the club has no exclusionary policies, although it has never had a female member its 69-year history, and only welcomed its first black member in 1990. In response to Burk’s letter, Johnson defiantly said that Augusta National will not be “bullied, threatened or intimidated” to add female members.

    Burk was at a conference in Maine on Friday. Calls to her cell phone were not immediately returned.

    Coca-Cola spokesman Ben Deutsch confirmed the company did receive a letter from Burk, although he said it was not threatening.

    “We had discussions with Augusta National officials and they recently informed us of their decision to conduct the tournament without sponsors,” Deutsch said. “We enjoyed our one-year sponsorship of the Masters, and we wish them well.”

    IBM spokeswoman Deb Gotthimer would only confirm that the company received a letter from NCWO. “We respect the club’s decision to hold the Masters without sponsors next year,” she said.

    Citigroup declined comment.

    The companies also had a small chalet at Augusta National during the Masters. It was not immediately clear whether they would be able to use them next year.

    “We are sorry, but not surprised, to see these corporations drawn into this matter,” Johnson said. “Augusta National is NCWO’s true target. It is therefore unfair to the put the Masters’ media sponsors in the position of having to deal with this pressure.”

    The Masters already was the least commercialized tournament in golf, void of corporate tents and exhibitions at Augusta National. Its deal with CBS Sports allowed only four minutes of commercials each hour.

    CBS spokeswoman Robin Brendle said the network would have no comment.

  2. #2
    I'm a regular em69 is on a distinguished road em69's Avatar
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    Just out of curiosity...
    Is there any info on women who have tried to become members of Augusta but turned down?
    How does the membership work at Augusta?
    It is kind of sickening to think that a course treats people in this way. The sad part of it is the PGA, in some respects, promotes this behaviour because of their association with the course.:shakehead

    Why doesn't the LPGA host their Masters tournament at this course? To me that makes sense. Is the LPGA even attempting to have their Masters tournament hosted by Augusta?

  3. #3
    Shotmaker spidey is on a distinguished road spidey's Avatar
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    Nobody "tries" to become a member of Augusta. Membership is by invitation only. And they don't have more than 2 or 3 professional golfers in their membership. Mostly it's CEO's or better.

    It's likely that membership dues are variable too. The committee decides how much work etc. is going to be done... and they divide the cost of that among the 300 or so members. So your annual dues could be anywhere up to $Millions.

    I know that if I were a woman... I probably wouldn't want to be at that club, and I certainly sympathize with the first woman who is invited. In fact.. they only admitted blacks (at the risk of not using the politically correct word) a few years ago.

    Realistically, this is a non issue. I wholeheartedly believe that this isn't going to help the plight of the millions of women in golfing facilities in North America who are discriminated against through inferior tee-times or less than fair access either for play, or for decision making.

    I don't begrudge a rich woman her right to further prestige. And certainly this issue is getting far more press than it was expected to get. But I don't agree that this issue is going to help the millions of women who are discriminated against at the clubs they ALREADY ARE permitted to join.
    [color=blue]s[/color][color=red]p[/color][color=blue]i[/color][color=red]d[/color][color=blue]e[/color][color=red]y[/color]

    [color=seagreen]"Got more dirt than ball. Here we go again."
    Alan Shepard, Apollo 14 Commander, Amateur-Golfer, preparing to take another swing during his famous moon walk in 1971.
    [/color]

  4. #4
    3 Wood golfdoc is on a distinguished road
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    enough...

    What is wrong with a men's only club?
    I don't see the problem. If a women's group had the money and bought Pebble Beach, and made it Women's only, then that's their choice. There are plenty of courses that women can play.

    There are a lot of other clubs/organizations that are open only to men or women.

    These women who are complaining need to stop crying and get their own course if it's a big deal to them...

  5. #5
    I'm a regular em69 is on a distinguished road em69's Avatar
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    Well said Spidey.


    Originally posted by spidey
    [B]And they don't have more than 2 or 3 professional golfers in their membership[B]
    Isn't anyone who wins the Masters become an automatic member and can play the course anytime they want? Who are the 2 or 3 pros who you are mentioning? Or are they only entitled to play the course and that's it?

    Hey golfdoc...lightening up a little.

  6. #6
    Fairway Junkie Michael is on a distinguished road
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    Although Augusta has no women members, women are permitted to play as invited guests or if they are a spouse of a member. Ms Burk is now asking CBS to cancel their broadcast of the event in support of her cause. I don't think CBS will do that and if they did, ABC or NBC would surely be in line to cover it for sure.

  7. #7
    I'm a regular em69 is on a distinguished road em69's Avatar
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    NBC maybe but ABC... I don't think have the resources to cover that event.

  8. #8
    Shotmaker spidey is on a distinguished road spidey's Avatar
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    em69 asked...
    Isn't anyone who wins the Masters become an automatic member and can play the course anytime they want?
    I could be wrong, and I defer to anyone with more info than me, but past champions have some playing privileges in that they do not always need an invitation by a member. I'm very certain that doesn't make them members though. I doubt all the winners could afford the fees.

    em69 asked...
    Who are the 2 or 3 pros who you are mentioning?
    Well, I'm not an authority, and my recollection is not entirely precise, but I remember reading recently that Jack and Arnie are the only ones (I'm guessing that Arnold was first)
    And pure speculation tells me that Greg has been invited too although I'm not certain about that.
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    [color=seagreen]"Got more dirt than ball. Here we go again."
    Alan Shepard, Apollo 14 Commander, Amateur-Golfer, preparing to take another swing during his famous moon walk in 1971.
    [/color]

  9. #9
    Way Beyond Help Colby is on a distinguished road Colby's Avatar
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    If Greg has truely been invited, and if he accepted, he would be a non-winning pro member

    :bablefish
    It could be that the purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning to others.
    Colby

  10. #10
    RulesNut Gary Hill is on a distinguished road Gary Hill's Avatar
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    Why not invite Laura Norman to become the first female member?

    Then Gregg could wear her green jacket.

    Other possible female candidates:

    Anna Kournikova - She can't play tennis, either.

    Tonya Harding - We already know she can swing a club.

  11. #11
    I'm a regular em69 is on a distinguished road em69's Avatar
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    Who cares if Anna can't play tennis. She is the reason I even watch the sport at all.

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