Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Wednesday edition of the Richmond Weavers Show, presented by
Ingles Markets, continues right here on one oh four to
nine Fox Sports Upstate. As we're rolling through our number two,
and yes, we've been talking a lot of football. We
know NFL college football is getting ready to start, but
also we're winding down the PGA Tour season and next
(00:20):
week is the finale, the Tour Championship down in Atlanta.
So yes, we're going to talk a little golf. Let's
go inside the.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Ropes, from the fairways to the headlights. It's inside the
Ropes driven by the BMW Charity program presented by td Sinax.
You're all access pass to golf's biggest needs and best moments.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
All right, we are honored to be joined by Alex Urban,
the executive director of the Tour Championship, part of the
PGA Tour down in Atlanta at East Lake. Alex, thank
you so much. I know you are probably running one
hundred miles per hour right now getting ready for next week.
And I do have to first and foremost ask you,
(01:08):
as you're trying to steer this ship one of the
biggest PGA Tours events of the season, exactly what does
executive director.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Mean a good question. Well one you honored to have me.
I'm honored to be on. Thank you for having me.
You know, I love There's one thing I can talk about.
It's it's golf in the PGA Tour. What does that mean? Basically,
for lack of a better term, you know, it's sort
of like you're you're sort of the steward of the event,
(01:38):
and so I'm and you're there's so many different tentacles
and things that the event touches, both internally on the
PGA Tour side. It's a whole bunch of departments required
to put on a PGA Tour event, but also sponsors
community fans, yes, other other events that kind of thing,
and and I'm sort of the clearinghouse for everything. So
(01:58):
I listened to everything to make connections where they where
they need to be connected, to try to help with
roadblocks if they come up from my team, and then
you know, make sure everyone's happy and has a great events.
That's sort of a I've got a wonderful team, and
so it really helps, like you know the details and
things they're really down in those and so outside of
(02:20):
that too, it's strategizing for the future and how we
continue to get better and better. Yeah, well there's a
lot of pieces to it.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Yes, Well it's about to say you make it sound
so easy that yes, we just pull all this together,
and I know it's not just that easy. So how
do you and your team ensure that this event is
ready to showcase the elite golfers there on the PGA
Tour and also again making you know, east Lake the
perfect stage for this battle for the FedEx Cup.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
Well, we're we're really lucky to have a venue like
East Way, no doubt, to be able to play a
tournament like the Tour Championship and start twenty fifth playing here.
So that's a really nice thing, and that we have
long standing relationships with the folks at the golf course
and just makes life a lot easier because then for us,
you know, in the live event business, you talk about
(03:09):
how to you know, quote unquote make things better. You've
got to constantly come up with ideas. It's so easy
to sit at home and watch things on TV. You
think about any sports that way, right, and so to
get people off the couch to buy a ticket, to
figure out how to go park and figure out how
to brave the heat and all the things that are
required to come move to our championship. You better make
sure that it's fun out there. So it's working with partners,
(03:31):
it's working with you know, new technologies and fan experiences
and trying to make it fun for everyone. Whether you're
a big time golf fan. We got plenty of great
things for those folks, but also for families and also
for people that just want to come out because they're
in Atlanta and Atlanta's an event town and they want
to come out and have a few cocktails outside because
(03:52):
it's beautiful and maybe they see Scottie Shuffler hit a
few shots. Maybe they don't, but it's still a great
atmosphere and there's good energy around it.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Question.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
Alex Urban is our guest executive director of the Tour
Championship set to start next week in Atlanta at East Lake,
and you talk about some of those things for the
fans for this year. What's new in the fan experience
from your perspective, and some of the things that they
should be able to enjoy.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Well, there's certainly a lot, and I could go for
a long time on this topic, but I will give
you some of the highlights yes, we have a brand
new official airline of the PGA Tour in Delta Airlines.
As you might imagine, they were excited to do a
whole lot here at the Tour Championship since we were
just a few miles from the heart of Delta country
over at the Atlanta Airport, and so you know, they're
(04:43):
doing a whole bunch of stuff, but some stuff that's
public facing. It's benefits for fans on site, one of
which is sponsoring the Delta Starter Lounge on the first tee,
which is as a public viewing deck above it that's
shaded and has a bar, so you want to watch
the guy's t off and start their round, that's the
perfect to do it. And then we have a new
venue this year, the Delta sky Miles Deck, which is
(05:05):
near the seventeenth Green eighteenth tee. You also see the
twelfth screen and the approach shot over there, so really
nice kind of three sixty golf views that if you
have a sky Miles membership, which in this market is
a lot of people, yes, you get access into that
venue and there's a bar up there and there'll be
some snacks and that kind of stuff. Some Delta giveaways
so that's that's the one we're really excited about. We
(05:27):
have a covered bleacher that's new on the driving Range,
sponsored by City of Hope Cancer Center, Atlanta. This is
a good you know, our tea times are a little later.
Our tea times are you know, Thursday, Friday, Sunday right
around eleven sixteen eleven fifteen, and then an hour later
on Saturday. So our range is a great place to
go watch the guys grind a little bit before they start.
(05:49):
It's a lot of fun. If you're a golf person,
watching those guys hit at the range is quite an
experience because they're doing things that said I certainly aen
never going to do with a golf club, and so
that that's a fun one too. And then just all
kinds of public activations. You know, our three proud partners, Accentric,
Coca Cola, and Southern Company all have public facing things,
whether it's fan areas like the So Cool Zone or
(06:09):
the Coca Cola Lounge, or stand enhancements. We have a
brand new three D map that we're calling our Smart Map,
presented by Censure and then Accentser is also sponsored one
of my favorite things we do, which is two kids
fifteen and under in free with every ticketed adult. Wow,
that's that's not something you see in sports kind of anything.
(06:29):
In this day and age, everything feels like it's getting
more expensive. This is something we're really proud to do.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Oh fantastic. And you talked about the Driving Range though.
I think it's one of the hidden gyms that you
can go and watch those guys on the Driving Range,
Alex and just the the divot lines. I'm amazed as
far as what you see and again talking about how
these guys can shape the ball, especially on the Driving Range.
And east Lake though, and I'm a huge fan of
(06:58):
east Lake I grew up in the area. I've been
fortunate enough to play east Lake a couple of times,
and I joke that it's my home course and it's
obviously not, but I love it so much. But we
also know that east Lake it's a cornerstone of the
Atlanta community and it's been around for a long time
and the renovation even going all the way back to
(07:20):
you know, the east Lake Foundation back in the late nineties,
but also even with Andrew Green doing some of the renovations.
Talk about that because we've had Andrew on the show, before,
and I just think it's fantastic when you have the
history of a course like that, but you can also
move it into this new age and somebody like Andrew
(07:42):
Green being able to be a part of that renovation.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Yeah, well said, I mean, it's one of my favorite
things about this place is that you've got the home
of Bobby Jones where he learns to play the game
of golf right here, and you've got that tradition and
that's Donald Ross and it's a golf course. And then
the modern the intersection with the modern history of the game.
And obviously Andrew did a wonderful job in the restoration
(08:06):
work he did where we you know, before last year's tournament,
but also the modern history of the game from FedEx
Cup perspective that's been you know, we're at our twenty
fifth playing in the tournament here for our nineteenth FedEx Cup,
which is that's a lot and you start to create
I mean, you can start to think back to some
of the historical moments throughout the year, throughout the years.
You think about you know, Bill Hots hitting out of
(08:27):
the water, Jim Furick made a putt in the rain,
or Billy Horschell gator chomping in front of everyone in
this country, which I can that is like seared into
my brain. Rory gives three and Tiger, all these people.
I mean, it's part of the history of the game.
And so that's really cool, and that's something that you know,
you don't get that everywhere. And I think East Lake
(08:48):
as a as a venue is just tremendous and it's
only gotten better since the work that Andrew and team did.
And then this year another additional wrinkle in that you know,
we've eliminated this starting strokes from this cup. Yes, so
all thirty guys are going to show up with a
chance to win the same chance to win they're going
to start. So we're doing seventy two holes of even
(09:08):
stroke play, and they're also kind of intentionally going to
do some things, I think, to try to make it
play a little bit more difficult, Okay, you know, maybe
a little bit more rough, maybe some tougher pins, maybe
a little longer. So I think it could be a
really fun test. I will be a very fun test
next week, and hopefully we get a fun finish and
certainly with this field, we know we're going to get
(09:30):
some quality golf I can guarantee.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
That yes, so we definitely are. He is Alex Urban,
executive director of the tour Championship at East Lake and
things will tee off next Thursday as the top thirty
will be competing for the FedEx Cup Championship. And we
know that the whittle that down the top fifty right
now will be playing in Maryland starting tomorrow and the
(09:52):
top thirty will move on to Atlanta. And Alex, you
talked about no longer the stroke portion of the these
guys coming to Atlanta. Your thoughts on that and just
how the PGA Tour continues. Hey, we can try things
and you know, make some adjustment, make some adjustments and
(10:13):
evolve at the same time to try to give the
fans the best product available and also the players and
their input and making sure that they're involved in this also.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
Yeah, absolutely, And this really came from a fan survey,
and we did this huge fan survey as it really
is the precursor to what you'll you'll hear our new CEO,
Brian Rollapp and the commissioner Jay Monahan talk about the
Fan Forward initiative, which is, look, let's listen to people
figure out what what are they like, what are they
not like? What do they want more of? What do
(10:44):
they want less of? And one of the things we heard,
you know from this last year this exercise was a
more consequential end to the season. You know, we don't
like the starting strokes, how do we how do we
fix those things? We want to see a difficult set
up golf course, all these things. And so our players,
who are very involved in the operation of our business
and decisions like these, took a look at that and said, hey,
(11:06):
here's what we recommend from a format perspective. And you know,
it's kind of this four fans by players type type
thinking that creates this change. And look, it's going to
I'm sure it will continue to evolve, right and look
at that's not unique to us. I mean you guys
say you were just talking football. I mean, look at
the college football landscape and how that's changed over the
last ten years, fifteen years, twenty years, you know, all
(11:28):
the way back to pre bcs and and how that's
evolved over the over time. And so ultimately, you're trying
to come up with something that works competitively, that's compelling,
that is also fun to watch, so that people want
to show up or turn on the TV and watch
compelling competition.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
How important was it to be able to shift the
schedule and have the Tour Championship before the college football
and NFL season started.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
Yeah, it's that was a huge piece. If you recall
they moved the Players Championship, you know, had been they
had moved it from March to May, and then a
few years ago it switched back to March, which moved
the PGA, allowed the PGA Championship to slip from August
to May, which then allowed us to finish our season
before football. Now there's the there's the occasional year where
(12:16):
that doesn't work out because of the Olympics. Yes, last
year was one of those years. But yeah, it's always
nicer when we can be wrapped up before football, especially
in this part of the country. Exactly, I'm sitting I'm
sitting ten miles from the College Football Hall of Fame
right here, so it's kind of a big deal around here.
I'm a Clemson guy, and and you know, we had
(12:36):
a pretty big game not too far from here on
Tournament Saturday last year. It's just a hard thing. There's
a big cross section of golf fans, football fans and
people are people are excited about football very much the
same way they are about golf, and so it's nice
to not have to be on the same weekend as
those types of events, for sure.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
No doubt. As we're wrapping up with the Alex Urban
executive director of the Tour Championship down there in Atlanta
at East Lake and again things will be teeing off
next Thursday. And I'm also at Clemson Grad Alex so yes,
so we can have our orange colored lenses on at times.
And your thoughts heading into this twenty twenty five season
(13:18):
for the Clemson Tigers with a big games, I'm I'm.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
Very excited about the star albeit at the opener. That'll
be a fun one. You know, I find myself I
feel a fairly realistic fan, but what I think is
really exciting. It felt like when we were really good
and we had that incredible run, there were three position
groups that were really outstanding, and you had the defensive
(13:42):
front four yes, the quarterback and the wide receivers, no doubt,
And it feels to me like that's the strength of
this team. So if that's the formula, then maybe maybe
we're in for a fun year.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
I hope, we hope.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
Yes, it's the season of hope right now, at least, Alan,
I'm a hoper.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
I don't take it for granted. I feel like we're
playing with house money. If you'd have told me when
I was I graduated in twenty eleven, you'd have told
me that we'd have two national championships in the next
ten years, I'm not sure I to believe you. Well,
I am trying to be an appreciative fan.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
No doubt, I truly understand that. All right, last one,
alex O, because I am curious with your position and
you know, being a sports fan fan being a golf fan,
how challenging is it for you though, to be able
to be a fan during the week because you're also
involved in so many things, making sure that everything is
(14:34):
running to give the fans and the players and everybody
involved the best experience. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
Well, I mean, I'm a massive golf fan. I love
I love watching the game. I will not see much
golf next me that I that I can guarantee you. There.
There will be a few shots that I'll catch by accident,
but it's it's not a ton of of you know,
sit back and watch, you know, for fun. I'll have
it on if I if I'm at my desk, which
(14:59):
is on a tournament day, i have the coverage on
my TV and I'm usually watching it to see how
it's coming off on TV. How does it look, do
all the signage look good? Do the people look like?
Does it look like it has good energy? That kind
of stuff, And then I'll reflect after the fact. So
thankfully for you know, fifty one weeks out of the year,
I can focus on being a golf fan. Next week
(15:20):
is more about delivering for all the golf fans here.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
Well, I know you're going to be ramping up getting
ready for next week, and can't thank you enough to
be able to spend a few minutes here letting us
get a little bit more insight into the Tour Championship
and tickets. Can fans still get tickets right now?
Speaker 3 (15:37):
And absolutely the poor Championship dot com is your one
stop shop. We have a few hospitality type experiences still
available last couple so if that's your thing, it's available.
But certainly our grounds experience is awesome and I mentioned
the kids in free piece. Yes, we also have some
military offers too. If you're a if you're a veteran
or an active duty current serving So please go to Tour
(16:00):
Championship dot com and check that out.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
Right there, you heard the mand make sure you go
check that out. Get your tickets. I promise you you
will have a fantastic time down at Eastlake. I will
be there next week. I did hear from Tracyville, so
she did approve for next week.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
So yes, she's in charge.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
That's right, Yes exactly. I will at least try to
seek you out and at least shake your hand as
you're running by.
Speaker 3 (16:23):
Will I would love that. That sounds like a plan.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
Awesome, Thank you, Alex. We appreciate your time. Enjoy the
rest of the week.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
Thanks for having me. Take care guys.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
That is Alex Urban, executive director of the Tour Championship
part of the PGA Tour. That we'll be heading down
to Eastlake in Atlanta next week tea and off on Thursday,
and again get your tickets Tour Championship dot com. As
we will wrap up this Wednesday edition of the Richmond
Weavers Show presented by Ingles Markets. Right after this
The Wednesday edition of the Richmond Weavers Show, presented by
Ingles Markets, continues right here on one oh four to
nine Fox Sports Upstate. As we're rolling through our number two,
and yes, we've been talking a lot of football. We
know NFL college football is getting ready to start, but
also we're winding down the PGA Tour season and next
(00:20):
week is the finale, the Tour Championship down in Atlanta.
So yes, we're going to talk a little golf. Let's
go inside the.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Ropes, from the fairways to the headlights. It's inside the
Ropes driven by the BMW Charity program presented by td Sinax.
You're all access pass to golf's biggest needs and best moments.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
All right, we are honored to be joined by Alex Urban,
the executive director of the Tour Championship, part of the
PGA Tour down in Atlanta at East Lake. Alex, thank
you so much. I know you are probably running one
hundred miles per hour right now getting ready for next week.
And I do have to first and foremost ask you,
(01:08):
as you're trying to steer this ship one of the
biggest PGA Tours events of the season, exactly what does
executive director.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Mean a good question. Well one you honored to have me.
I'm honored to be on. Thank you for having me.
You know, I love There's one thing I can talk about.
It's it's golf in the PGA Tour. What does that mean? Basically,
for lack of a better term, you know, it's sort
of like you're you're sort of the steward of the event,
(01:38):
and so I'm and you're there's so many different tentacles
and things that the event touches, both internally on the
PGA Tour side. It's a whole bunch of departments required
to put on a PGA Tour event, but also sponsors
community fans, yes, other other events that kind of thing,
and and I'm sort of the clearinghouse for everything. So
(01:58):
I listened to everything to make connections where they where
they need to be connected, to try to help with
roadblocks if they come up from my team, and then
you know, make sure everyone's happy and has a great events.
That's sort of a I've got a wonderful team, and
so it really helps, like you know the details and
things they're really down in those and so outside of
(02:20):
that too, it's strategizing for the future and how we
continue to get better and better. Yeah, well there's a
lot of pieces to it.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Yes, Well it's about to say you make it sound
so easy that yes, we just pull all this together,
and I know it's not just that easy. So how
do you and your team ensure that this event is
ready to showcase the elite golfers there on the PGA
Tour and also again making you know, east Lake the
perfect stage for this battle for the FedEx Cup.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
Well, we're we're really lucky to have a venue like
East Way, no doubt, to be able to play a
tournament like the Tour Championship and start twenty fifth playing here.
So that's a really nice thing, and that we have
long standing relationships with the folks at the golf course
and just makes life a lot easier because then for us,
you know, in the live event business, you talk about
(03:09):
how to you know, quote unquote make things better. You've
got to constantly come up with ideas. It's so easy
to sit at home and watch things on TV. You
think about any sports that way, right, and so to
get people off the couch to buy a ticket, to
figure out how to go park and figure out how
to brave the heat and all the things that are
required to come move to our championship. You better make
sure that it's fun out there. So it's working with partners,
(03:31):
it's working with you know, new technologies and fan experiences
and trying to make it fun for everyone. Whether you're
a big time golf fan. We got plenty of great
things for those folks, but also for families and also
for people that just want to come out because they're
in Atlanta and Atlanta's an event town and they want
to come out and have a few cocktails outside because
(03:52):
it's beautiful and maybe they see Scottie Shuffler hit a
few shots. Maybe they don't, but it's still a great
atmosphere and there's good energy around it.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Question.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
Alex Urban is our guest executive director of the Tour
Championship set to start next week in Atlanta at East Lake,
and you talk about some of those things for the
fans for this year. What's new in the fan experience
from your perspective, and some of the things that they
should be able to enjoy.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Well, there's certainly a lot, and I could go for
a long time on this topic, but I will give
you some of the highlights yes, we have a brand
new official airline of the PGA Tour in Delta Airlines.
As you might imagine, they were excited to do a
whole lot here at the Tour Championship since we were
just a few miles from the heart of Delta country
over at the Atlanta Airport, and so you know, they're
(04:43):
doing a whole bunch of stuff, but some stuff that's
public facing. It's benefits for fans on site, one of
which is sponsoring the Delta Starter Lounge on the first tee,
which is as a public viewing deck above it that's
shaded and has a bar, so you want to watch
the guy's t off and start their round, that's the
perfect to do it. And then we have a new
venue this year, the Delta sky Miles Deck, which is
(05:05):
near the seventeenth Green eighteenth tee. You also see the
twelfth screen and the approach shot over there, so really
nice kind of three sixty golf views that if you
have a sky Miles membership, which in this market is
a lot of people, yes, you get access into that
venue and there's a bar up there and there'll be
some snacks and that kind of stuff. Some Delta giveaways
so that's that's the one we're really excited about. We
(05:27):
have a covered bleacher that's new on the driving Range,
sponsored by City of Hope Cancer Center, Atlanta. This is
a good you know, our tea times are a little later.
Our tea times are you know, Thursday, Friday, Sunday right
around eleven sixteen eleven fifteen, and then an hour later
on Saturday. So our range is a great place to
go watch the guys grind a little bit before they start.
(05:49):
It's a lot of fun. If you're a golf person,
watching those guys hit at the range is quite an
experience because they're doing things that said I certainly aen
never going to do with a golf club, and so
that that's a fun one too. And then just all
kinds of public activations. You know, our three proud partners, Accentric,
Coca Cola, and Southern Company all have public facing things,
whether it's fan areas like the So Cool Zone or
(06:09):
the Coca Cola Lounge, or stand enhancements. We have a
brand new three D map that we're calling our Smart Map,
presented by Censure and then Accentser is also sponsored one
of my favorite things we do, which is two kids
fifteen and under in free with every ticketed adult. Wow,
that's that's not something you see in sports kind of anything.
(06:29):
In this day and age, everything feels like it's getting
more expensive. This is something we're really proud to do.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Oh fantastic. And you talked about the Driving Range though.
I think it's one of the hidden gyms that you
can go and watch those guys on the Driving Range,
Alex and just the the divot lines. I'm amazed as
far as what you see and again talking about how
these guys can shape the ball, especially on the Driving Range.
And east Lake though, and I'm a huge fan of
(06:58):
east Lake I grew up in the area. I've been
fortunate enough to play east Lake a couple of times,
and I joke that it's my home course and it's
obviously not, but I love it so much. But we
also know that east Lake it's a cornerstone of the
Atlanta community and it's been around for a long time
and the renovation even going all the way back to
(07:20):
you know, the east Lake Foundation back in the late nineties,
but also even with Andrew Green doing some of the renovations.
Talk about that because we've had Andrew on the show, before,
and I just think it's fantastic when you have the
history of a course like that, but you can also
move it into this new age and somebody like Andrew
(07:42):
Green being able to be a part of that renovation.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Yeah, well said, I mean, it's one of my favorite
things about this place is that you've got the home
of Bobby Jones where he learns to play the game
of golf right here, and you've got that tradition and
that's Donald Ross and it's a golf course. And then
the modern the intersection with the modern history of the game.
And obviously Andrew did a wonderful job in the restoration
(08:06):
work he did where we you know, before last year's tournament,
but also the modern history of the game from FedEx
Cup perspective that's been you know, we're at our twenty
fifth playing in the tournament here for our nineteenth FedEx Cup,
which is that's a lot and you start to create
I mean, you can start to think back to some
of the historical moments throughout the year, throughout the years.
You think about you know, Bill Hots hitting out of
(08:27):
the water, Jim Furick made a putt in the rain,
or Billy Horschell gator chomping in front of everyone in
this country, which I can that is like seared into
my brain. Rory gives three and Tiger, all these people.
I mean, it's part of the history of the game.
And so that's really cool, and that's something that you know,
you don't get that everywhere. And I think East Lake
(08:48):
as a as a venue is just tremendous and it's
only gotten better since the work that Andrew and team did.
And then this year another additional wrinkle in that you know,
we've eliminated this starting strokes from this cup. Yes, so
all thirty guys are going to show up with a
chance to win the same chance to win they're going
to start. So we're doing seventy two holes of even
(09:08):
stroke play, and they're also kind of intentionally going to
do some things, I think, to try to make it
play a little bit more difficult, Okay, you know, maybe
a little bit more rough, maybe some tougher pins, maybe
a little longer. So I think it could be a
really fun test. I will be a very fun test
next week, and hopefully we get a fun finish and
certainly with this field, we know we're going to get
(09:30):
some quality golf I can guarantee.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
That yes, so we definitely are. He is Alex Urban,
executive director of the tour Championship at East Lake and
things will tee off next Thursday as the top thirty
will be competing for the FedEx Cup Championship. And we
know that the whittle that down the top fifty right
now will be playing in Maryland starting tomorrow and the
(09:52):
top thirty will move on to Atlanta. And Alex, you
talked about no longer the stroke portion of the these
guys coming to Atlanta. Your thoughts on that and just
how the PGA Tour continues. Hey, we can try things
and you know, make some adjustment, make some adjustments and
(10:13):
evolve at the same time to try to give the
fans the best product available and also the players and
their input and making sure that they're involved in this also.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
Yeah, absolutely, And this really came from a fan survey,
and we did this huge fan survey as it really
is the precursor to what you'll you'll hear our new CEO,
Brian Rollapp and the commissioner Jay Monahan talk about the
Fan Forward initiative, which is, look, let's listen to people
figure out what what are they like, what are they
not like? What do they want more of? What do
(10:44):
they want less of? And one of the things we heard,
you know from this last year this exercise was a
more consequential end to the season. You know, we don't
like the starting strokes, how do we how do we
fix those things? We want to see a difficult set
up golf course, all these things. And so our players,
who are very involved in the operation of our business
and decisions like these, took a look at that and said, hey,
(11:06):
here's what we recommend from a format perspective. And you know,
it's kind of this four fans by players type type
thinking that creates this change. And look, it's going to
I'm sure it will continue to evolve, right and look
at that's not unique to us. I mean you guys
say you were just talking football. I mean, look at
the college football landscape and how that's changed over the
last ten years, fifteen years, twenty years, you know, all
(11:28):
the way back to pre bcs and and how that's
evolved over the over time. And so ultimately, you're trying
to come up with something that works competitively, that's compelling,
that is also fun to watch, so that people want
to show up or turn on the TV and watch
compelling competition.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
How important was it to be able to shift the
schedule and have the Tour Championship before the college football
and NFL season started.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
Yeah, it's that was a huge piece. If you recall
they moved the Players Championship, you know, had been they
had moved it from March to May, and then a
few years ago it switched back to March, which moved
the PGA, allowed the PGA Championship to slip from August
to May, which then allowed us to finish our season
before football. Now there's the there's the occasional year where
(12:16):
that doesn't work out because of the Olympics. Yes, last
year was one of those years. But yeah, it's always
nicer when we can be wrapped up before football, especially
in this part of the country. Exactly, I'm sitting I'm
sitting ten miles from the College Football Hall of Fame
right here, so it's kind of a big deal around here.
I'm a Clemson guy, and and you know, we had
(12:36):
a pretty big game not too far from here on
Tournament Saturday last year. It's just a hard thing. There's
a big cross section of golf fans, football fans and
people are people are excited about football very much the
same way they are about golf, and so it's nice
to not have to be on the same weekend as
those types of events, for sure.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
No doubt. As we're wrapping up with the Alex Urban
executive director of the Tour Championship down there in Atlanta
at East Lake and again things will be teeing off
next Thursday. And I'm also at Clemson Grad Alex so yes,
so we can have our orange colored lenses on at times.
And your thoughts heading into this twenty twenty five season
(13:18):
for the Clemson Tigers with a big games, I'm I'm.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
Very excited about the star albeit at the opener. That'll
be a fun one. You know, I find myself I
feel a fairly realistic fan, but what I think is
really exciting. It felt like when we were really good
and we had that incredible run, there were three position
groups that were really outstanding, and you had the defensive
(13:42):
front four yes, the quarterback and the wide receivers, no doubt,
And it feels to me like that's the strength of
this team. So if that's the formula, then maybe maybe
we're in for a fun year.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
I hope, we hope.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
Yes, it's the season of hope right now, at least, Alan,
I'm a hoper.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
I don't take it for granted. I feel like we're
playing with house money. If you'd have told me when
I was I graduated in twenty eleven, you'd have told
me that we'd have two national championships in the next
ten years, I'm not sure I to believe you. Well,
I am trying to be an appreciative fan.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
No doubt, I truly understand that. All right, last one,
alex O, because I am curious with your position and
you know, being a sports fan fan being a golf fan,
how challenging is it for you though, to be able
to be a fan during the week because you're also
involved in so many things, making sure that everything is
(14:34):
running to give the fans and the players and everybody
involved the best experience. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
Well, I mean, I'm a massive golf fan. I love
I love watching the game. I will not see much
golf next me that I that I can guarantee you. There.
There will be a few shots that I'll catch by accident,
but it's it's not a ton of of you know,
sit back and watch, you know, for fun. I'll have
it on if I if I'm at my desk, which
(14:59):
is on a tournament day, i have the coverage on
my TV and I'm usually watching it to see how
it's coming off on TV. How does it look, do
all the signage look good? Do the people look like?
Does it look like it has good energy? That kind
of stuff, And then I'll reflect after the fact. So
thankfully for you know, fifty one weeks out of the year,
I can focus on being a golf fan. Next week
(15:20):
is more about delivering for all the golf fans here.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
Well, I know you're going to be ramping up getting
ready for next week, and can't thank you enough to
be able to spend a few minutes here letting us
get a little bit more insight into the Tour Championship
and tickets. Can fans still get tickets right now?
Speaker 3 (15:37):
And absolutely the poor Championship dot com is your one
stop shop. We have a few hospitality type experiences still
available last couple so if that's your thing, it's available.
But certainly our grounds experience is awesome and I mentioned
the kids in free piece. Yes, we also have some
military offers too. If you're a if you're a veteran
or an active duty current serving So please go to Tour
(16:00):
Championship dot com and check that out.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
Right there, you heard the mand make sure you go
check that out. Get your tickets. I promise you you
will have a fantastic time down at Eastlake. I will
be there next week. I did hear from Tracyville, so
she did approve for next week.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
So yes, she's in charge.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
That's right, Yes exactly. I will at least try to
seek you out and at least shake your hand as
you're running by.
Speaker 3 (16:23):
Will I would love that. That sounds like a plan.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
Awesome, Thank you, Alex. We appreciate your time. Enjoy the
rest of the week.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
Thanks for having me. Take care guys.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
That is Alex Urban, executive director of the Tour Championship
part of the PGA Tour. That we'll be heading down
to Eastlake in Atlanta next week tea and off on Thursday,
and again get your tickets Tour Championship dot com. As
we will wrap up this Wednesday edition of the Richmond
Weavers Show presented by Ingles Markets. Right after this
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