Well here's a good topic for debate.
ESPN - LPGA Tour will suspend memberships if players don't learn English - Golf
ESPN - LPGA Tour will suspend memberships if players don't learn English - Golf
LPGA to require all women to speak English
- Thread starter Ramy
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I think this is extremely stupid and a lawsuit just waiting to happen. I can understand ENCOURAGING players to learn English.....but SUSPEND??!! Gimme a F***ING break.....! I see a decline in European players playing in LPGA Tour events in the North Amercia....
The LPGA wants their players to be able to interact and communicate with their fans here in the states. Since their sport doesn't transcend the communication barrier like Baseball does, they need their players to be able to speak English in order to allow their product to grow.
BUT SUSPEND??!!....Ok, IF a US player goes to play a NON-LPGA event in say, Malasia....you don't see THEM not allow her on the golf course because she does not know the language....
BUT SUSPEND??!!....Ok, IF a US player goes to play a NON-LPGA event in say, Malasia....you don't see THEM not allow her on the golf course because she does not know the language....
I agree. Suspend is a bit harsh.
Not sure how long it takes to learn a "foreign" language, but the LPGA is saying that by the end of 2009, they'll start instituting "oral evaluation's" of their English skills or the players will face a membership suspension.
It's tough love. The fact of the matter is that English is the language of money, and like all sports organizations, the LPGA is a business. If your top 3 stars are from Korea or China and they can hardly put together a sentence in English or constantly need a translator to do interviews, you can't market them that well. No one can relate to them, and sponsors can't hire them to do spots or sell their products. As horrible as it sounds, a Korean who is tops in the LPGA but can't speak English or market the sport is basically useless to the sport. You can make all the arguments about "sport" that you want, but the sad fact is that they need people they can market. If all these new potential stars are coming from foreign countries, they need to speak the language of their main audience.BUT SUSPEND??!!....Ok, IF a US player goes to play a NON-LPGA event in say, Malasia....you don't see THEM not allow her on the golf course because she does not know the language....
Probably part of the reason why Hockey is struggling compared to the other major sports.
Sorry but if you think that you NEED to speak English to be marketable, you are sadly mistaken. There are PLENTY of European soccer players, golfers and basketball players in Italy, Germany, Japan, China, Russia, Greece and so that speak little to NO English and they have had NO PROBLEMS getting sponsors. Speaking English does not sell.....THE ATHLETE sells....Speaking English just broadens the chances for more places to reach.
In America it matters. A great deal actually. I can't think of ONE athlete in this country that gets big time advertising dollars and does NOT speak English. (And yes, Yao had to learn English before he got commercials and the majority of his sponsors.)
This is the reason why Hockey is pimping the hell out of English speaking Sidney Crosby instead of the Euro's who can't speak our language.
Big difference: Those are more popular sports and organizations on a global scale. This isn't like soccer where everyone BUT America loves it, so not speaking English is not a big deal. The LPGA isn't even popular in AMERICA, let alone the world. The LPGA is more America-based, and if you don't speak the "native" language of the sport and its sponsors, you're going to be a tough sell no matter how good you are. The market in the USA is MUCH bigger than in Korea or Japan, as well as many other markets. The LPGA is not a big enough name to where they can do like what MLB and the NBA does, where they have a more global presence. You can't start "branching out" when you aren't even set in a good place to start, and that place is where they speak English primarily..
As was mentioned before, even Yao Ming had to work on himself and his English in order to get some deals here in America, and he is SOO popular in China that he would probably be set in terms of money and sponsorships just in that country alone, and he doesn't even play there normally. And Yao's popularity is unbelievable over there. He is basically single handedly responsible for making Basketball the #1 sport in China, even over soccer (apparently the country people are tired of watching them lose constantly.)
This is just silly. Don't look for any suspensions. I'm sure all the foreign born players are trying to learn English anyhow. It just makes sense, for the the reason most of you mentioned - $$$. Anybody with a brain on the tour certainly realizes this by now.
The universal language of the world is ENGLISH. Airline pilots all around the world are required to speak english. Air traffic controllers are required to speak English globally. At least one sport I know of, Formula One Motor Racing, requires ALL participants to speak ENGLISH. Its hardly an abberation for the LPGA to require it. I applaud them. :up
SUSPENSION??!! Sorry, it ain't gonna happen. And the unless you are in the business of marketing athletes and sports...you have no reason to applaud it other than personal.
This is all about money, but not necessarily the way you think.
While the LPGA may be looking to make it's stars more visible thus profitable to them, one also needs to realize that the S. Korean players that are winning in the LPGA are huge stars in S. Korea. They are on magazine covers, TV Shows and commercials, etc. over there and keep all the money to themselves.
Unlike in MLB or NBA they don't wear a uniform so it's very easy to portray them in a golf setting and have it appear as a LPGA event without having a LPGA license attached to it.
It makes me think that the LPGA is doing this to either get a piece of the pie from the S. Korean players popularity in S. Korea or limit the numbers of S. Korean players so that less money is flowing out of the US from these players.
While the LPGA may be looking to make it's stars more visible thus profitable to them, one also needs to realize that the S. Korean players that are winning in the LPGA are huge stars in S. Korea. They are on magazine covers, TV Shows and commercials, etc. over there and keep all the money to themselves.
Unlike in MLB or NBA they don't wear a uniform so it's very easy to portray them in a golf setting and have it appear as a LPGA event without having a LPGA license attached to it.
It makes me think that the LPGA is doing this to either get a piece of the pie from the S. Korean players popularity in S. Korea or limit the numbers of S. Korean players so that less money is flowing out of the US from these players.
BUT SUSPEND??!!....Ok, IF a US player goes to play a NON-LPGA event in say, Malasia....you don't see THEM not allow her on the golf course because she does not know the language....
That's one event and not an entire season. Big difference there between the two. I don't think they should be suspended, but given lessons instead.
They have had 2 years to learn and are continuing to get help to learn English. I for one agree they need to. as others said before the large amount of Koreans are actually hurting the sport by not helping by not being able to promote the LPGa here in the US.
If someone pays big bucks to play in a Pro am they expect a conversation. Besides if they can speak English it helps there chances of getting promo contracts that pay in US dollars.
If someone pays big bucks to play in a Pro am they expect a conversation. Besides if they can speak English it helps there chances of getting promo contracts that pay in US dollars.
I agree they need to learn English too....but FORCE them? IF NOT SUSPENSION??!! WTF??!! They European players and players from Far East countries do not NEED the US money....they make tons of money. People, OTHER COUNTRIES have ALOT of money and endorsements too.....hello.....
Personally I think it's ridiculus. I can understand Formula 1 required a single language, as you need to be able to understand instructions when driving at those speeds.
But what words do you need to understand in Golf? Fore?
If it's marketability they want, then just do what they do in women's tennis, get a bunch of hotties. That's the only reason anyone follows women's tennis, and no one cares if they can speak english, or speak for that matter.
But what words do you need to understand in Golf? Fore?
If it's marketability they want, then just do what they do in women's tennis, get a bunch of hotties. That's the only reason anyone follows women's tennis, and no one cares if they can speak english, or speak for that matter.
