LPGA Comes to its Senses
Published September 5th, 2008Earlier, I talked about the LPGA policy to suspend players that could not pass an English proficiency exam. Well, it took them about a week, but the LPGA has decided to rethink the policy. I should hope so. They buckled under both criticism from media and players, but it seems that what finally did them in was criticism from sponsors. Not a big surprise that they go where the sponsors say, but at least they took the right stand. For example:
One of the tour’s title sponsors, State Farm, already weighed in this week by saying it was “dumbfounded.”
“We don’t understand this and we don’t know why they have done it,” State Farm spokesman Kip Diggs told Advertising Age on its Web site. “And we have strongly encouraged them to take another look at this.”
It also helped that California state legislators were thinking of banning discriminatory practices such as this one, or using contacts with sponsors to increase pressure on the LPGA.
What the LPGA was thinking, I have no idea. They haven’t quite backed off completely - they’re leaving open the option of fines - but no suspensions. I’m not sure that’s fair still, but at least they won’t prevent players from playing golf - which is what they’re there for.
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