Operation Sports Forums - View Single Post - Tiger Needs Wins for EA Deal to Make Sense

ThatRadioGuy · 11-30-2010, 10:11 AM

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I have covered professional golf since the late eighties in my job. During the dot.com boom, I was a gaming journalist/executive in Los Angeles full-time. So .. I have a fairly unique take on this from many years looking at both sides of the coin.

Chris said in the post:

"If Tiger's star does fade, there's no reason to brand a golf game around him anymore if he's no longer by far and away the best player in the world."

Well, actually, if you want to go back in history and look at how it was done before Tiger Woods, that's exactly how golf was marketed to gamers. There was a great old series called "Links" that went back many years to the origin of the personal computer. It was a company called "Access". They signed Arnold Palmer to be on the box of their game. This was some 30+ years since Arnold Palmer won a major tournament. In addition, there was a direct competitor to Links in the form of a company called "Accolade". They put out "Jack Nicklaus Golf". These were the two big boys, Accolade and Access. Microsoft eventually bought Access and shut down "Links" and Accolade just kinda faded away. So, the previous history of golf games is exactly the opposite of Chris' statement. Golf games have been marketed with golfers that have long since passed their prime. They did this mostly due to the professional player's popularity and endearing nature.

You could make the statement, "Well, jhees, that's Arnold Palmer, Dave. There's no comparison." Actually, and we need to get a grip on this, Tiger Woods has won not just more .. but .. MANY more major championships than Arnold Palmer ever did. "Well, it's Jack Nicklaus, the greatest golfer of all time". That's arguable. I say it was an amateur golfer, who was a lawyer by trade, from Atlanta in the twenties that retired from competitive golf at the age of 30. "Well, how many times did HE win The Masters?"

He invented The Masters.

And the golf course it is played on.

So, everything is relative. Electronic Arts is well served by its relationship with Tiger Woods. Gaming is different in marketing. You need the sizzle. This isn't Augusta National Golf Club. This is modern media. And if people talk about it, the kids .. they just love it. Remember, this is a genre that worships games where you blow people's brains out with a bazooka to the face and we all get a little "Hot Coffee" while playing GTA. This is gaming. Never forget that.

If Tiger Woods never wins another golf tournament, it will be quite some time before there will be another golfer that champions a game in the marketplace. There is nobody .. nobody .. that reaches across the divide of demographics that Earl's boy Eldrick reaches. You have just witnessed an anomaly for the ages, folks. Never done before and probably never again. Tiger Woods is golf to two generations. No amount of skanks will change that. He is "The Legend from Los Angeles".

I foresee the next great golfer coming from Asia. And it won't be one golfer. It will be 320 great golfers.

But that's not for another thirty years.

So, until then, it's all Tiger all the time. And for EA, they'll ride that pony in to the sunset.

DD

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11-30-2010, 10:11 AM	#7
ThatRadioGuy Rookie OVR: 0 Join Date: Sep 2010	.. I have covered professional golf since the late eighties in my job. During the dot.com boom, I was a gaming journalist/executive in Los Angeles full-time. So .. I have a fairly unique take on this from many years looking at both sides of the coin. Chris said in the post: "If Tiger's star does fade, there's no reason to brand a golf game around him anymore if he's no longer by far and away the best player in the world." Well, actually, if you want to go back in history and look at how it was done before Tiger Woods, that's exactly how golf was marketed to gamers. There was a great old series called "Links" that went back many years to the origin of the personal computer. It was a company called "Access". They signed Arnold Palmer to be on the box of their game. This was some 30+ years since Arnold Palmer won a major tournament. In addition, there was a direct competitor to Links in the form of a company called "Accolade". They put out "Jack Nicklaus Golf". These were the two big boys, Accolade and Access. Microsoft eventually bought Access and shut down "Links" and Accolade just kinda faded away. So, the previous history of golf games is exactly the opposite of Chris' statement. Golf games have been marketed with golfers that have long since passed their prime. They did this mostly due to the professional player's popularity and endearing nature. You could make the statement, "Well, jhees, that's Arnold Palmer, Dave. There's no comparison." Actually, and we need to get a grip on this, Tiger Woods has won not just more .. but .. MANY more major championships than Arnold Palmer ever did. "Well, it's Jack Nicklaus, the greatest golfer of all time". That's arguable. I say it was an amateur golfer, who was a lawyer by trade, from Atlanta in the twenties that retired from competitive golf at the age of 30. "Well, how many times did HE win The Masters?" He invented The Masters. And the golf course it is played on. So, everything is relative. Electronic Arts is well served by its relationship with Tiger Woods. Gaming is different in marketing. You need the sizzle. This isn't Augusta National Golf Club. This is modern media. And if people talk about it, the kids .. they just love it. Remember, this is a genre that worships games where you blow people's brains out with a bazooka to the face and we all get a little "Hot Coffee" while playing GTA. This is gaming. Never forget that. If Tiger Woods never wins another golf tournament, it will be quite some time before there will be another golfer that champions a game in the marketplace. There is nobody .. nobody .. that reaches across the divide of demographics that Earl's boy Eldrick reaches. You have just witnessed an anomaly for the ages, folks. Never done before and probably never again. Tiger Woods is golf to two generations. No amount of skanks will change that. He is "The Legend from Los Angeles". I foresee the next great golfer coming from Asia. And it won't be one golfer. It will be 320 great golfers. But that's not for another thirty years. So, until then, it's all Tiger all the time. And for EA, they'll ride that pony in to the sunset. DD ..