In response to the arrival of the LIV circuit and its $20m (£16m) tournaments, the PGA Tour has responded with a sequence of ‘Signature Occasions’ which provide related rewards.
The 4 majors, together with The Open – which is now price $17m – have additionally boosted purses in response. Nonetheless, Slumbers mentioned: “It isn’t financially sustainable.
“I do not totally perceive all of the nuances of all of the enterprise fashions which might be on the market in skilled golf, however I’ve received a fairly good understanding of it. And I do not imagine it’s sustainable, whether or not that is as we speak or tomorrow.
“It must be addressed and I feel that the common client of our sport is turned off by it being led by a monetary driver.”
Slumbers added: “We have got to return to main with values and historical past of the sport.
“And if we will get these collectively the skilled sport will reconnect and can join very properly as a result of there are some implausible gamers on the market enjoying sensible golf and other people do wish to see it.”
The skilled aspect is mired in its so referred to as ‘civil battle’. Slumbers factors to “divisiveness” inflicting “reputational challenges” and “harm to the sport”.
“And we’re seeing that by way of viewers figures in quite a few occasions,” he added.
Paradoxically, participation in golf has boomed – particularly in world territories exterior america and Mexico, that are administered by the R&A. The preliminary important enhance got here within the wake of the 2020 Covid pandemic.
“We have grown extra since Covid than we did throughout Covid,” Slumbers noticed. “We now have 62.3m individuals eat golf and that is one million greater than it was a yr in the past and it is 10 million greater than it was in 2018.
“I do not suppose many sports activities have stored all their Covid bounce like golf has, and maybe that is a narrative that is not been informed practically properly sufficient.”
And he believes it’s not the sport’s largest stars similar to Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and world primary Scottie Scheffler who’re the prime drivers of curiosity within the sport.
“I feel there was a sense within the sport, let’s name it a pre-covid feeling, that you just wanted the massive personalities enjoying within the skilled sport after which the leisure sport would comply with,” Slumbers mentioned.
“And I feel that has been turned the other way up, and whereas key gamers do drive curiosity, it is not as generic or broad – I imagine – because it was 20 years in the past, perhaps even 10 years in the past.
“Which may be a bit bit to do with the challenges we’re going by, it could be a bit bit to do with societal change.
“It might be rather a lot to do with the truth that the leisure sport is now a lot larger, and far broader and numerous in the kind of people who find themselves enjoying it.”
