Friday, December 1, 2000
Tiger, Finchem do `fence-mending'
By KEN PETERS
AP Sports Writer
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) — Tiger Woods called his meeting
with PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem “fence-mending.”
Woods recently caused a stir by complaining that the tour was
taking financial advantage of him with policies that controlled
his rights, mostly in terms of marketing. He warned that his discontent
could turn into a “bigger situation.”
He also said the only time he heard from Finchem was when the
commissioner wanted him to play in certain tournaments.
A meeting between the two earlier this week apparently defused
the potential crisis between the PGA and the player whose skill
and popularity has sparked quantum leaps in interest in the tour.
Describing his session with Finchem in Los Angeles, Woods said
it was very positive and very upbeat.
“We exchanged ideas and there was no hostility at all. It
was great. My relationship with Tim has definitely improved because
of it. He was very candid, very open, and I appreciate that,”
Woods said Wednesday.
“We have come to a better understanding. I think we need
to communicate just a little bit more face-to-face instead of,
`You talk to my people, let's do lunch,' those kinds of things.”
Asked what was resolved in the talks, which went on for several
hours Monday, Woods replied, “Pretty much everything.”
“We need a few more sit-down meetings to hammer things out.
One of the problems has been that it is hard to get our schedules
clear. He's as busy as I am,” Woods said.
He said there were “compromises on both sides,” but
was not specific.
Finchem obviously was pleased with the meeting.
“I'm delighted we're discussing the specifics of his business
strategy, because a significant mission of the tour is to provide
our members with a strong marketing platform,” the commissioner
said in a statement.
Woods believes some of the negative public reaction to his earlier
comments came because people thought he was asking for a cut of
the tour's TV money, which isn't the case, and isn't possible
under the PGA rules, anyway.
He also said he has been surprised by the number of other players
who have reacted positively to his comments.
Among Woods' concerns were implied endorsements, where PGA Tour
sponsors were able to use his and other players' images in advertisements;
and rights fees, in which ABC Sports had to pay the tour $400,000
to televise Woods' exhibition match against David Duval last year.
When Woods set up another made-for-TV match against Sergio Garcia
this year, the fee was raised to $1.5 million.
The marketing-savy Woods also wants to have some rights that would
enable him to explore Internet opportunities.
“The Internet has grown substantially and there are a lot
of different opportunities in which a player, as well as an organization
like the tour, can do a lot for themselves via the Internet,”
he said. “I'm of the strong belief that I'd like to do some
creative things for myself, and we're working through that.”
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