Martin Slumbers, CEO of R&A, wants to talk about the 150th anniversary of the Open. He wants to tell you all about the four years they’ve been planning their six-hundredth anniversary celebrations, more than a million ticket applications, the record crowd of 290,000 people, and the 20,000 free tickets for kids. I would like to let you know all about how much R&A invests in the base of the game, the latest turnout figures and the rise in popularity after the end of the pandemic. The only thing he doesn’t want to talk about is what everyone else is doing. LIV.
On Wednesday, Slumbers explained why R&A had refused to invite LIV series ringman Greg Norman to participate in this week’s ceremonies, although Norman, who was allegedly officially listed as an “NFI” in the starting list of the small four-hole celebration. of the Champions tournament held here on Monday, he won the Open in 1986 and 1993. “This is a very important week for golf. This is the oldest championship. It’s the original championship, “Slumbers said.” We decided we didn’t want the distraction. “
Which makes the R&A a bit Caddyshack. Slumbers plays Judge Smails, so presumably Norman is about to show up anytime with his best Rodney Dangerfield sweatshirt and pants to explain that he never wanted to be a member here anyway and that everything it is part of his grand redevelopment plan. the Old Course. “Apartments there, lots of parking, we’ll make a fortune, believe me.”
The hard part for Slumbers is that he really isn’t able to explain why R&A is so confronted with LIV. The obvious answer is that they don’t really want competition. But this will not wash away. And the other is Saudi Arabia’s human rights registry, which is also a complicated proposition, given that the national golf federation is an affiliate member of the R&A and has received development grants from the organization in the past. The Saudi International was part of the European Tour circuit last year. It wasn’t long before the authorities encouraged players to leave.
Maybe that’s why Slumbers needed a couple of mullets to try to nail his position on the morality of it all. “Let me be very clear: human rights abuses, acts of terrorism cannot be tolerated in my mind in any way or form.” As useful as it was to clarify that the R&A does not approve of the assassination, the effect diminished somewhat when Slumbers attached a “but.” “We have a responsibility to work with many countries around the world that are affiliated with R&A and are responsible for golf in their country.”
It’s not about money, he said, but about “golf as a force for good” and tilting the moral arc of the universe toward justice one bird at a time.
R&A chief Martin Slumbers is trying to address the thorny issue of LIV Golf ahead of the St Andrews Open. Photo: Oisin Keniry / R & A / Getty Images
Slumbers ’argument was about how newcomer rich newcomers just don’t appreciate the“ values ”of the game. I guess there are a lot of lawyers behind the scenes on both sides of this division, and that’s why some of the languages used are so specific (Slumbers referred to the ‘UK Business Act’ when he was told asked if this was a conflict of interest that is also part of the official golf ranking board that is about to decide on LIV’s application for formal recognition). But the public relations battle is being fought with more vague terms such as “integrity, personal responsibility and respect.”
Slumbers argued that LIV “undermines the culture based on the merits and spirit of open competition,” while “you can look into the eyes of any child or any parent of that child and know that if you get into the game and wants to get into the game “. top, he wants to play this game, that there is a way to the top totally based on his ability and his will to work hard ”. That, he said, is a principle “worth fighting for.”
His idea of the future of the game “is about mothers, fathers, children and grandchildren playing golf together,” he said. “These are short-course facilities, public facilities, open to the public, relatively low cost and to introduce people to the game. Because all the research we do shows that our problem is getting people to try our sport often by perception and often by cost. But once they try, the success rate to stay in the game is huge. “
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Which is very admirable. But again, it would have been even more if Slumbers hadn’t also been busy defending R&A’s decision to sell all live broadcast rights to subscription television instead of keeping at least some of it outdoors. , on estarien. readily available to everyone. “I don’t think the outdoors is as important as it was 25 years ago,” he explained. Their own children “have at least three devices on their lap when they are watching any sport.” Without a doubt, the game is perfectly accessible if you can afford a tablet, a laptop and a phone to accompany it. It helps if your dad is also the CEO of R&A.
Anyways. If you’re following the action on one of your four devices this week, don’t be too alarmed if you see an explosion somewhere in the background. It will only be Bill Murray trying to catch this lost gopher.