Ryder Cup Persuasive Essay
Is the Ryder Cup overhyped?
With the Americans leading 9-6 ½ and needing only 7 ½ more points on the final day to win their first Ryder Cup since 1999, the event still only managed to draw an unimpressive 3.3 rating on NBC. While the ratings were up 22% from 2006 standards, when the US players went across the pond, they were slightly higher than what WWE wrestling show draws on a weekly basis. The ratings look even more anemic (3.3 vs 13.5) when compared to the NFL football game that the Ryder Cup was pitted against. For an event that is hyped much like a major, it really failed to deliver viewers.
But ratings are not the only facet where the Ryder Cup lacks. It is true that the Ryder Cup usually has a cast that makes up almost half of the
top fifty ranked world golfers but other than fighting for national pride the event does not really help them with their careers. Unlike winning any the four majors or other various championships, the Ryder Cup does not have the highest purse nor does winning the event allow the player/s any exemptions for this or any other major events. Further by winning majors, golfers usually receive large bonuses from their sponsors and may be able to negotiate better contracts giving a tournament golfer some security in an unstable profession.
Also, the reputation of the greatest players in golf history is largely based on the number of major championship victories they accumulate not the number of winning Ryder Cup teams they were on. So how can an event that does not mean a lot to the careers of golfers receive the same hype as the major championships? The answer is simple, it shouldn’t. The hype surrounding the Ryder Cup is totally media driven. With no major golf events held in September, every two years broadcast stations get a chance to overhype an event that they hope will produce viewers.
Further, some would still argue that all the hype surrounding the Ryder Cup is warranted as the tournament has a unique prestige factor, as can be witnessed by the heightened level of tension of the players. Top class players often make mistakes that they would avoid at an average event, even a major. So Ryder Cup still might carry a lot of sentimental value to golfers, it certainly does not carry a lot of weight with average viewer as witnessed by the low TV ratings. It is not worth spending millions and millions dollars on advertising for an event that is barely watched on either side of the pond.
The Ryder Cup has never been a big draw and three straight wins in dominating fashion by the Europeans may have been the reason the Ryder Cup had lost some of its luster in the United States. However an American victory in 2008 should allow for the event to make a mini comeback next time around. But for now, even with all the advance advertising, exciting rounds golf and an American victory still produced lack luster viewership in 2008.
With the Americans leading 9-6 ½ and needing only 7 ½ more points on the final day to win their first Ryder Cup since 1999, the event still only managed to draw an unimpressive 3.3 rating on NBC. While the ratings were up 22% from 2006 standards, when the US players went across the pond, they were slightly higher than what WWE wrestling show draws on a weekly basis. The ratings look even more anemic (3.3 vs 13.5) when compared to the NFL football game that the Ryder Cup was pitted against. For an event that is hyped much like a major, it really failed to deliver viewers.
But ratings are not the only facet where the Ryder Cup lacks. It is true that the Ryder Cup usually has a cast that makes up almost half of the
top fifty ranked world golfers but other than fighting for national pride the event does not really help them with their careers. Unlike winning any the four majors or other various championships, the Ryder Cup does not have the highest purse nor does winning the event allow the player/s any exemptions for this or any other major events. Further by winning majors, golfers usually receive large bonuses from their sponsors and may be able to negotiate better contracts giving a tournament golfer some security in an unstable profession.
Also, the reputation of the greatest players in golf history is largely based on the number of major championship victories they accumulate not the number of winning Ryder Cup teams they were on. So how can an event that does not mean a lot to the careers of golfers receive the same hype as the major championships? The answer is simple, it shouldn’t. The hype surrounding the Ryder Cup is totally media driven. With no major golf events held in September, every two years broadcast stations get a chance to overhype an event that they hope will produce viewers.
Further, some would still argue that all the hype surrounding the Ryder Cup is warranted as the tournament has a unique prestige factor, as can be witnessed by the heightened level of tension of the players. Top class players often make mistakes that they would avoid at an average event, even a major. So Ryder Cup still might carry a lot of sentimental value to golfers, it certainly does not carry a lot of weight with average viewer as witnessed by the low TV ratings. It is not worth spending millions and millions dollars on advertising for an event that is barely watched on either side of the pond.
The Ryder Cup has never been a big draw and three straight wins in dominating fashion by the Europeans may have been the reason the Ryder Cup had lost some of its luster in the United States. However an American victory in 2008 should allow for the event to make a mini comeback next time around. But for now, even with all the advance advertising, exciting rounds golf and an American victory still produced lack luster viewership in 2008.