Return To Main Blog Page Is English Required Neo-Racist or Merely Marketing? Thu Sep 4, 2008 at 1:31 PM
The whole notion of requiring people to learn English in order to play golf seems like a desperate strategy on the part of the LPGA to shore up its tour ratings.

Is the tour supposed to represent the best golfers or is it merely a marketing device for sponsorships? Do we want to convey the message that the fans will only support English speaking players, prefering pretty, white, American women golfers over everyone else?

Is demanding "marketability" via the command to learn English just another neo-racist threat intended to shut players out, or a sensational marketing strategy?

The LPGA management knows it needs to do something new to shake up the moribund state their tour is in. Perhaps the market for golf events is simply drying up or the competition for viewer time is simply too great for the LPGA to compete regardless of who's playing.

I don't have the answer for the LPGA's problem, but I'm pretty sure demanding that every player speak English is not it.

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