BogeyLounge: LPGA's Carolyn Bivens - Missing scoring opportunities?

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June 26, 2006

LPGA's Carolyn Bivens - Missing scoring opportunities?

"The LPGA is positioned right now in terms of the depth of play that's going on on the course, the overall skill of a very broad and deep group, the international nature of these players. The LPGA players look much more like the face of the USA population than do a lot of other sports. If we are going to begin to move in the market, we have to do it now." - LPGA Commissioner Carolyn Bivens

Ty Votaw set the LPGA up to be in a very good postition in terms of worldwide marketability and growth. He embraced player personality and sexuality in terms of what it could mean for the growth of the association and put forth progressive ideas to help the LPGA break out of it's dusty and tired image.

New commissioner Carolyn Bivens has been handed the perfect opportunity. Take a sports league that is gushing with young and charismatic talent and bring it along so that it can reach its' maximum potential.

How's she doing? The early results are in and it looks like Ms. Biven is not measuring up.

The girls are hot, wear short shorts (and skirts), have million dollar smiles, and play a brand of golf that's fun to watch... and yet I hear her say that the International players need to speak better english for the press conferences and pro-ams.

What the hell are translators for? Who cares if a Korean player wins a major and then needs a translator to speak to the media. Ms. Bivens is trying to be progressive, but that sort of thinking is actually backwards and caters to "redneck" centric thinking.

Is she worried about the throngs of trailer park golf fans not associating with the talent? "Ain't nobody gonna watch that sport if it's full of orientals who can even learn our langauge." ... give me a break!

The growth of the LPGA will be based on the players, their abilities, personalities, and the level of competition, not how well the ladies can communicate with a fat CEO of a multi-million dollar company during a bogus pro-am event.

Look at the big picture LPGA ... the world is your oyster, what you do with it is up to you.

Read more:
Carolyn Bivens, Courageously Running LPGA Into the Ground [Erik B - The SandTrap]

More Bivens Wit and Wisdom [GeoffShackelford.com]

The changing face of the LPGA [Times-Union.com]