This post isn't anything new, but I just realized how much of an impact Tiger has on everyone watching. It's been around for quite a while. I've watched most of the weekend, mainly for hopes of Tiger pulling it out. As I type this, he's at -7 and 5 shots out. I don't see it.
Yet I pulled away from the TV because Tiger was melting down. Too many bogeys and poor tee shots. Then I ready a tweet that he sunk an Eagle, and I'm back in. I can only wonder how many other people are worse than I am with regards to the "Tiger Factor"
I actually spent the last five minutes thinking, what if Tiger didn't come back to play in the Masters? Would I even watch it? Would most of America? I don't know the statistical data, but I doubt it. Interesting. Very very interesting. The business side of golf/sports - how much one person can alter the income for an entire league.
There isn't one other single athlete right now who demands as much media attention as Tiger. Even before this whole thing. Whenever Tiger played, that was the story. Let's look at the comparable for other sports:
NBA - LeBron/Kobe
NHL - Ovechkin/Crosby
NFL - Tough choice, but Brett Favre gets the most attention, and then Manning/Brady
MLB - Alex Rodriguez
NONE of them get the attention that Tiger does. People watch a football game without Brett Favre in it. Nobody watches golf without Tiger. I understand the logic doesn't connect because of the differences in the sports and the local aspect (and that golf can be bloody boring to many people (I just said bloody)) of other sports for each city. I don't know of any other athlete that commands their sport or the entire sports world like Tiger. The last one I could think of would be Michael Jordan, but that was before my time.
To conclude, the PGA Tour needs Tiger. It could live without him, but I'm sure its sees at least 10x higher ratings/income when Tiger's in contention.
PS TIGER - STOP USING THE DRIVER OUt OF THE TEE BOX. IT NEVER WORKS. EVEN I KNOW THAT, AND I SUCK AT GOLF.
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