Final Buick Open?

[TwoGloves]

Sure sounds like it. No big surprise given the mess GM has made of things

http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2009/07/buick_open_reportedly_ending_l.html

 

[Mark2010]

No surprise that Buick is backing out. A company in bankruptcy has no business spending millions on sports sponsorships.

But can they not find another sponsor and keep the tournament in the same location?

 

[TwoGloves]

A

No surprise that Buick is backing out. A company in bankruptcy has no business spending millions on sports sponsorships.

But can they not find another sponsor and keep the tournament in the same location?

According to Pernice's quotes, the answer is no. I bet they move out of Michigan entirely.

 

[crusoes]

As usual, the comments are hilarious.

 

[playthrough]

Nice move by Tiger to tee it up.

 

[mustangj17]

As usual, the comments are hilarious.

Like this one?

"The tournament is coming back next year. It's going to be called the "Red Star, Sickle and Hammer Socialist Golfathon. Anyone with proof of welfare gets in free."

 

[Mark2010]

In Michigan, that might set Tour records for attendance.

 

[Knighthawk]

I suspect they'll move it out of Michigan entirely, which will complete the destruction of the state's presence on the pro tour. It was only a few years ago that we had a LPGA Tour event, two Champions Tour events - including a "major" - and a PGA Tour event. Add in an USAm, Ryder Cup and a PGA Championship at Oakland Hills, and we've had plenty to cover.

Now? Nothing. :-[

 

[slappy4428]

I suspect they'll move it out of Michigan entirely, which will complete the destruction of the state's presence on the pro tour. It was only a few years ago that we had a LPGA Tour event, two Champions Tour events - including a "major" - and a PGA Tour event. Add in an USAm, Ryder Cup and a PGA Championship at Oakland Hills, and we've had plenty to cover.

Now? Nothing. :-[

We'll always have the Michigan Open....

 

[D-3 Fan]

I'm hearing talk that John Deere will pull their sponsorship after 2010. If they do, the Quad Cities will not see pro golf there ever again. It would be a boon for Des Moines to grab it, but Principal would rather keep funding their event with the Senior Tour, despite laying off 500+ employees, and Glen Oaks course going into foreclosure this past Friday.

 

[TwoGloves]

I suspect they'll move it out of Michigan entirely, which will complete the destruction of the state's presence on the pro tour. It was only a few years ago that we had a LPGA Tour event, two Champions Tour events - including a "major" - and a PGA Tour event. Add in an USAm, Ryder Cup and a PGA Championship at Oakland Hills, and we've had plenty to cover.

Now? Nothing. :-[

We'll always have the Michigan Open....

Except it's no longer in Traverse City.

 

[I Should Coco]

I'm hearing talk that John Deere will pull their sponsorship after 2010. If they do, the Quad Cities will not see pro golf there ever again. It would be a boon for Des Moines to grab it, but Principal would rather keep funding their event with the Senior Tour, despite laying off 500+ employees, and Glen Oaks course going into foreclosure this past Friday.

I've heard that the JDC could go either way. While Deere is certainly doing better than GM financially, they've had a few layoffs this year, too.

The other endangered Midwest tourney, of course, is the Greater Milwaukee Open. And with the "Western Open" basically being rotated around between two or three sites in the fall these days, the pickins' for a Midwestern PGA tourney are getting pretty slim.

 

[Birdscribe]

I suspect they'll move it out of Michigan entirely, which will complete the destruction of the state's presence on the pro tour. It was only a few years ago that we had a LPGA Tour event, two Champions Tour events - including a "major" - and a PGA Tour event. Add in an USAm, Ryder Cup and a PGA Championship at Oakland Hills, and we've had plenty to cover.

Now? Nothing. :-[

You also had the Par-3 Shootout in Gaylord Let's not forget that.

Seriously, Michigan needs and deserves Tour events. The state is a golfing hotbed and home to some of the finest public-access courses in the country.

 

[Mark2010]

Raises the whole issue of event sponsorships and if/where events will fold or move. I read the LPGA has lost seven tournaments in the last two years.

Will GM has been more in the headlines than some others, I'm sure a lot of companies that are hurting can't wait for sponsorship contracts to expire and find better things to do with their money.

The purses have gotten outrageous over the past 10 years and I think a market correction is probably overdue.

 

[D-3 Fan]

I'm hearing talk that John Deere will pull their sponsorship after 2010. If they do, the Quad Cities will not see pro golf there ever again. It would be a boon for Des Moines to grab it, but Principal would rather keep funding their event with the Senior Tour, despite laying off 500+ employees, and Glen Oaks course going into foreclosure this past Friday.

I've heard that the JDC could go either way. While Deere is certainly doing better than GM financially, they've had a few layoffs this year, too.

The other endangered Midwest tourney, of course, is the Greater Milwaukee Open. And with the "Western Open" basically being rotated around between two or three sites in the fall these days, the pickins' for a Midwestern PGA tourney are getting pretty slim.

My family all work for Deere. Luckily all of them hasn't been laid-off, my Mom who works at the corporate office in Moline said the brass is leaning towards ending it, but talks have cooled for now.

A good friend in the media used to work in the QCA market before coming here to Des Moines was getting the same vibe, as his wife works for Deere as well.

I would expect Deere to make up their minds before next year's event, given that CEO Bob Lane is stepping down in 2010.