Who Cares About Farmers When Tiger Is In Dubai?

When will these television network execs get it right?!

Why in-the-hell was CBS broadcasting the Farmers Insurance Open this weekend... a golf tournament where there were absolutely no big-name golfers playing... when all anyone who is a golf fan wanted to see was Tiger Woods at the top of the leaderboard... shooting 6-under 66 Saturday against the likes of Rory McIlroy in Abu Dubai?!

Who cares about frickin' Torrey Pines and the Farmers Insurance Open if Tiger Woods is not in it?!

NOBODY!  That's who!

Golf fans spent the entire weekend trying to find live coverage of the Dubai tournament... when it should have been immediately picked up by one of the major networks.

What story in professional golf is bigger than Tiger Woods climbing back on top of his game?!

NOTHING!

So, why make golf fans suffer through a star-search at the Farmers Insurance Open... when they'd rather see the biggest name in golf... Tiger Woods... in Dubai?

If it's a matter of money... I'm quite sure that Farmers would dump coverage of their own tournament... in order to air their commercials during impromptu coverage of a Tiger Woods surge in Dubai.

Dubai is about a 10 hour time difference from the east coast (just guessing) so that means if it were on live TV it would have been on in the middle of the night and early morning. I do not have the Golf Channel anymore, but it's very possible they were showing it live, or if not they must have had on on tape delay on Sat and Sun morning/afternoon.

CBS has a contract to broadcast certain US PGA Tour events throughout the year, as well as The Masters and the US PGA Championship. They do not have any rights to broadcast any European Tour events. In the US, only the Golf Channel has rights to the European Tour, and I highly doubt that will change anytime soon.

The Golf Channel had the Dubai coverage live at 4 each morning.  I doubt to many businesses were going to pay a major network to show it to the people that stayed up to watch. 

Looks like Dubai is a 13 (or 11) hour difference from NYC, so your estimate was very close.

For the original poster, Dubai and Abu Dhabi are different places.

For the original poster, Dubai and Abu Dhabi are different places.

Thanks for the geo lesson, LannyH.

Dubai... Abu Dhabi... like former republican presidential candidate Herman McCain once said, it's all Uzbeki-beki-stan to me. (lol)

All I know is that if Tiger Woods is playing well... I know that I'm not the only one who wants to see him.

The Golf Channel had the Dubai coverage live at 4 each morning.  I doubt to many businesses were going to pay a major network to show it to the people that stayed up to watch.

Kinik... I just spent the past couple of weeks watching the Australian Open tennis tournament... live from Australia... on ESPN2 at 3 a.m. each morning.  And they didn't have any shortage of commercial sponsors for this early morning coverage.

AND... matches that ESPN had the commonsense to know that tennis fans would want to see... were RE-BROADCASTED during prime viewing times in the afternoon and evening timeslots... for maximum viewership. 

Now... are you saying that the Golf Channel doesn't have the commonsense to showcase some of its sports BEST golfers by re-airing Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, et al, in Abu Dhabi during a prime viewing timeslot?

Is THAT what you're saying, Kinik?

If so, then how ridiculously-stupid can the execs at the Golf Channel be?
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In the US, only the Golf Channel has rights to the European Tour, and I highly doubt that will change anytime soon.

Andrew1316... the one time everyone... golf enthusiasts... Tiger Woods fans... curiousity-seekers... were ALL attracted to the Golf Channel to catch a glimpse of Tiger Woods... who was rumored to be atop the leaderboard in Ibaki-baki-stan somewhere... and BAM!  They ALL tune-in to the Golf Channel... and NO TIGER WOODS!

Tell me, Kinik... and you, too, andrew1316... what was the Golf Channel showing all day during their prime viewing timeslots that they couldn't have re-aired Tiger Woods playing in Abu Dhabi?

If you don't know, ask me!

NOTHING worth watching!

NOTHING that would attract or hold the attention of new viewers trying to catch a glimpe of a resurgent Tiger Woods.

The Golf Channel actually blew a rare opportunity to have exclusive prime timeslot coverage of a tournament that EVERYONE was surfing the cable channels trying to find.
 
Now... how ridiculous is that?! 

The tennis tournament was covered live by the network that owns the rights to it with sponsors because it was live just like the golf tournament was covered live with sponsors by the the network that owns the rights to it.  If you could stay to watch tennis why not to watch the golf that you were so interested in?

Actually, the Golf Channel showed Abu Dhabi live, then replayed it, then showed the US tourney, then showed Abu Dhabi again during prime time. 

Yeah, but that wasn't when unoriginal wanted his private viewing of Tigers priv....

dee:

i do not know about the USA, but golf channel in canada played PLENTY of tigermania.....actually, the first two days they played the telecast just to cover the trumped up woods/rory/donald group.  they had thursday morning start and that was not bad here......just like late night tv.  actually, the first round was the best of it IMO.  very interesting to see how rory turned average round into 5 under (like tiger of old) and tiger turned great round into a 70.  it was freaky friday.....

i hear your concerns tho'.  golf media and networks have no respect for the fan.  taped delay happens all the time.  they move the start times up (lets say for weather) and you get tape delay sunday 4-6.  Give me a break!  the game goes early, so should the telecast.

only problem with all of this......three quarters of golf on TV (and i am just talking PGA/Euro tour) is second rate.  only about 20 tourneys with truly world class fields.....i do not think networks can withstand second class fields AND poor start times.  

i figure it will be take what you can get.  they seem to make enough money with old folks and the casual fan checking in while eating their dinner.

the world nature of the tennis tour has decimated the money, interest and coverage in the US.  Still i prefer watching only the important tourneys for them and that is what i do for golf too.  highlights of the john deere classic is plenty enough for me.

Yeah, but that wasn't when unoriginal wanted his private viewing of Tigers priv....

Kinkie... I get it that you're dissing me for wanting to see Tiger Woods overseas... and for not wanting to watch some no-name golfer at Torrey Pines in the Farmers Insurance Open, instead.

But kinkie... if the guy who WON the Farmers Insurance Open... was teeing-off for the final round of that tournament and word got around that Tiger Woods was signing autographs in the frickin' parking lot... there'd definitely be more people in the parking lot trying to pal-up with Tiger than there would be on the tee to watch a no-name among a field of no-names playing in the Farmers Insurance Open.

That's just a fact, kinkie!

So, you can be bothered and make a play on my username all you want... but that does not and will not negate the fact that Tiger Woods is still the biggest attraction in professional golf... in the WORLD!

And that's the truth... even when he's not playing well.

And you know it, kinkie.

And maybe THAT'S what bothers you, kinkie.

But the PGA and golf, in general, have suffered without Tiger Woods being Tiger Woods!

Tiger was like a magnet that drew new fans... new markets... new appeal... to this sport.

And the fact that Tiger was so consistently good... INSTANTLY... on the pro tour... at such a young age... infused LIFE... EXCITEMENT... and not to mention... YOUTH... into a sport that had been dried-up, stuffy and fuddy-duddy... for quite a while.

He revived golf... widened its scope and broadened its appeal.

And kinkie... if golf fans like you can't accept or deal with the Tiger Woods revolution that sparked evolution in the PGA... then go take-up croquet or something.  I hear it's really catching on.

Because kinki... the PGA needs Tiger Woods like you need a personality... or maybe a breath mint.

If you could stay to watch tennis why not to watch the golf that you were so interested in?

Well, kinki... ESPN did a little thing called publicizing the broadcast times for the Australian Open... in the TV Guide... with commercials... and on the scroll that constantly crawls across the bottom of the screen on their channels.

That's kinda what you need to do, kinkie... if you want people to know when the matches are going to be aired.  You think?

And last I checked, kinki, the Golf Channel... at the very least... has a scroll crawling across the bottom of the screen.

So, let there be no doubt that I tuned-in to the Golf Channel... SEVERAL TIMES... this past weekend to find out where and when I could watch Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy in Abu Dhabi.

If the information was there... readily available on the Golf Channel... I WOULD HAVE WATCHED TIGER WOODS AND RORY McILROY!

Make no mistake about THAT, kinkie!

But the information was not there... readily available on the Golf Channel... any of the times I tuned-in and waited for that exact information.

Actually, the Golf Channel showed Abu Dhabi live, then replayed it, then showed the US tourney, then showed Abu Dhabi again during prime time.

And LannyH... it really ticks me off that these listings were not readily available to sports fans trying to catch this tournament.

i figure it will be take what you can get.  they seem to make enough money with old folks and the casual fan checking in while eating their dinner.

Maccam... you said a mouthful!

That's exactly what was killing the sport prior to Tiger Woods.

I personally lost interest in the PGA after Lee Trevino faded into the sunset and Payne Stewart died.

They gave the sport personality... and style, as well as, great talent.
 
Then... along came Tiger Woods... and now... Rory McIlroy.

These guys have resusitated interest in this sport... and in the Golf Channel!  So, why not showcase them... like ESPN hyped their listings for Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic matches?

But alas, maccam... I think you hit the nail on the head when you said:

golf media and networks have no respect for the fan.   

And that's just sad, my friend.

"deeoriginal" must have an old Stromberg-Carlsson TV.  His doesn't have one of them things called a TV guide channel.  There is no menu button on his clicker to access when and what channel each sport is on TV.  Or it could be stuck/frozen on the "Get On Your Knees And Show Your Love For Tiger Woods" channel.

"deeoriginal" must have an old Stromberg-Carlsson TV.  His doesn't have one of them things called a TV guide channel.  There is no menu button on his clicker to access when and what channel each sport is on TV.  Or it could be stuck/frozen on the "Get On Your Knees And Show Your Love For Tiger Woods" channel.

Ha!  I see you almost got my username right this time, huh?

But kink... I think that YOU have pretty much figured out that I looked everywhere... on my old Stromberg-Carlson TV set... for broadcast listings for the Abu Dhabi tournament... just so I could see the fabulous Tiger Woods... King of the PGA, baby!

I even got on my old Stromberg-Carlson telephone and called Stromberg and Carlson, themselves.  And even they didn't know when or where the Tiger Woods-Rory McIlroy tournament was airing.

So, you see, kink... your sense of humor is about as dry as your skin... and twice as flaky.

But let me be absolutely clear about one thing you've said, kink.

I wouldn't mind it... one bit... if my old Stromberg-Carlson TV set was "stuck/frozen on the 'Get On Your Knees And Show Your Love For Tiger Woods' channel." 

And you, kink... would probably be begging me to come over to my place and watch Tiger on my old Stromberg-Carlson, too. 

But see if I let you, buddy!

Nope!  No way! 

Dee, I know your brother in Virginia.  Say hello to him for me.

dee, I'm not sure what you found so confusing about the TV listings.  They are available online at many general TV listing websites.  Or if you prefer, you can check the Golf Channel website for complete details.

As for Woods being a big draw...  So is Justin Bieber, but that doesn't mean sophisticated music fans are drawn to him.  If you have Yo Yo Ma performing on one end of a park and Justin Bieber performing at the other end, Justin Bieber is going to have a massively larger crowd.  But it will be the Jersey Shore and Housewives Of and American Idol types.  They are the equivalent of the Tiger Woods fans.

You find Woods fascinating and prefer watch him over any other golfer.  I've seen him play in person some 25 times, the first being in 1997.  Now, though, I can name fifty golfers (literally) who I'd watch instead of Woods.  I'm not a golf newbie.  Nor are most of the people posting here.

On a side note, a lot of people swear up and down that Woods has been good for the game.  If so, why is it that 20 years ago, all these early season tournaments were shown on network television, and nowadays most of them are relegated to cable?  I turned on the television the other day to catch the old Bob Hope Desert Classic's final round, and NBC was showing snowboarding!  Woods has helped golf??  Yeah, helped it become less important than snowboarding...

Millions of people watched the tournament.  It was on the Golf Chnnel 3 times a day for 4 days.  That is 12 different viewing times.  Millions found out when it was on--deeoriginal was incapable of doing what millions of others could do.  Draw your own conclusions.

One  is tempted to guess what the ' original' part of this posts name relates to?  We live in a world where information is available at the touch of a button.  Computers, I Pads, phones.  There is a TV channel dedicated to golf.  Pretty hard to believe this guy is moaning about it not being able to see Woods??

Millions of people watched the tournament.  It was on the Golf Chnnel 3 times a day for 4 days.  That is 12 different viewing times.  Millions found out when it was on--deeoriginal was incapable of doing what millions of others could do.  Draw your own conclusions.

"Millions of people" didn't see Tiger Woods play in Abu Dhabi, kinkie.  Just you and your little brother, nokoman.  And hey... put some pants on that kid!

Still beating your gums because the Golf Channel didn't send you a personal invite to watch the guy that choked?  You are pathetic.

You are pathetic.

No.  I'm original.  You're kinkie.  And that's pathetic, little girl.

So, take those pebbles out of your shorts... and take 'em right back to the beach... Pebbles Beach... where you can catch the great Tiger Woods teeing-off with bedimpled Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo in the AT&T Pebbles Beach National Pro-Am tournament.

And the tournament will be aired daily from 3-6 p.m.... Thursday and Friday on the Golf Channel... and Saturday and Sunday on CBS.

Imagine that.

Somebody published the listings. 

The only thing that is boggling is that deeoriginal was able to find the TV listings.  Or maybe his mom told him.