The news of the day came yesterday, embedded within the end-of-year message dedicated to fans that Jay Monahan entrusted to social media.
Jay Monahan, statements
In the context of the presentation of the PGA Tour development programs, the Commissioner in office declared:
We want to open up new perspectives for our team in order to allow us to realize the incredible opportunities that open up before our sport, including among them the search for a CEO for the PGA Tour
We can learn so much from the world of sports and entertainment, and I look forward to meeting the candidates for this very important role.
The search will be conducted by a group of three wise men, members of the Board of PGA Tour Enterprises: Arthur Blank (one of the four members expressed by the investors, Editors note), Adam Scott and Tiger Woods.
The specifications state that the candidate cannot be an internal resource to the PGA Tour system.
Similar approaches have proven successful in the NBA, MLB and NHL, and we are confident that it will create added value for the Tour as well.
At first glance, this change seems to be the logical continuation of the changes that have taken place at the helm of other Tours and the governing bodies of world golf.
However, it is necessary to point out some elements that make it different from the others, all characterized by the radical nature of the changeover.
First of all, the role of CEO is being created from scratch,
At present it does not exist, given that the role of Commissioner (which will remain in the hands of Monahan, Editors note) is substantially duplicated, having the broadest powers, ranging from tournament supervision to the management of international relations.
The creation of the new position is linked, fundamentally, to the fact that Ron Price, Chief Operating Officer, is close to retirement.
The new CEO will have to coexist with Monahan, who will also join the Tour Policy Board.
If we then add that the current Commissioner is also a member of the Board of PGA Tour Enterprises, we can say that the circle is closed.
Basically, Jay Monahan announced a no-change, and this has infuriated many of the fans who received the message, and which evidently represents a simple formal gesture, of facade.
