UK Swing 2020 Concern

[9_ShanK_9]

It appears there is much excitement arising over the upcoming 6 European Tour events being staged at 5 venues across England and Wales. I for one was initially full of joy at the prospect of 6 consecutive weeks of live professional golf on Sky Sports from most courses I’ve played. I then started thinking about all the resources and funding needed, minus spectator control to make a tournament the spectacle they are

The prize funds for these events are considerably lower than they would have been if Covid-19 had not arisen. Only leading to lack of incentive for sponsorship deals. Much of the cost for providing the staging and infrastructure for the tournament is placed on the venues.

The 5 hosting venues are all large scale hospitality businesses, where a large amount of the establishments revenue is generated through the sale of rooms, food, beverage and conference facilities. Due to lockdown and social distancing regulations, there has been a massive financial impact on these businesses performance, now and into the future. There appears to be little light at the end of the tunnel.

As recently seen on the TV news and other forms of journalism, large scale travel and hospitality firms have been hit hard leading to proposed redundancies. I can only assume that the 5 venues on the 2020 UK Swing are not exempt from this scenario.

Is there justification in a hospitality orientated venue facing large financial constraints, spending capital to host a professional sporting event, only to be seen by those with a Sky Sports subscription. Which may I state, has just increased in price yet again, must be due to all the live sport they’ve been showing. Perhaps the expected revenue generated from exposure on this platform is enough to justify this. Personally I don’t believe it helps in the present.

Since lockdown restrictions were reduced back in May I’ve seen a resurgence in amateur golf across the UK And it is stronger than ever. I’m struggling to see how hosting professional events need to occur at the expense of staff possible losing jobs and livelihoods.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

No one is forcing any of the venues to host these tournaments. Each will have looked at the economics and decided it makes sense. This is a great chance for each venue to get major publicity within the golfing community, it is a big old advert.

Close House is near to me, no conference facilities there incidentally, and holding the British Masters previously was huge for it. It put it on the map, it made people want to play the course who would not have known it existed previously, it put it on the 'golf trip' map. Having a tournament there again will increase this, it is cracking publicity.

From the point of view of the courses, this will not cost jobs, it will create them and hopefully safeguard them going forward.

 

[IanM]

Celtic Manor wouldn't be touching this with a barge pole unless sponsorship and tv money made it worth while. It will probably get folk back to work rather than cost jobs.

 

[9_ShanK_9]

That’s exactly what I wanted to hear. I’m not saying that hosting the tournament will cost jobs. Revenue will be generated, but further down the line. My concern is with the state of the hospitality now at this very point. I don’t think it would be a smart move hosting a tournament when jobs are on the line. I’m not aware of any sponsorship deals for the events yet, only the sponsors of the tour.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

That’s exactly what I wanted to hear. I’m not saying that hosting the tournament will cost jobs. Revenue will be generated, but further down the line. My concern is with the state of the hospitality now at this very point. I don’t think it would be a smart move hosting a tournament when jobs are on the line. I’m not aware of any sponsorship deals for the events yet, only the sponsors of the tour.

Why are jobs on the line because of a golf tournament? I am not following your line of thought there. These tournaments will fill empty rooms with golfers, caddies, organisers etc. They will eat in the restaurants, drink in the bars. They will bring money to those venues for each day they are there, far more I suspect than they would get if the tournament was not there.

 

[9_ShanK_9]

No the jobs aren’t on the line because of the tournament. The jobs are already on the line because of the covid19 pandemic along with its restrictions. The hospitality industry appears in financial peril, with no substantial income over the last 2 months. The UK government has yet to release guidance on when hospitality establishments can reopen. If they do open before the events happen, then there capacity will be greatly reduced due to social distancing.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

So surely these events are a boost then? I don't see the downside for the venue. These events are bringing money in to them that otherwise would not be there.

 

[Sports_Fanatic]

Have Sky Sports increased their price again, or are the free months they gave subscribers (due to Covid/lack of live sport) coming to an end as they'll be broadcasting football and golf amongst other things this month, with F1 and other sports following close behind.

On the tour venues, there won't be huge amounts of money, but I expect these will be low cost for the venues (some payments will be being made), support them at a time when they won't have full capacity due to Covid, and allow them all to boast again that they're a recent European Tour venue thereby driving more visitors in for golf and stays in future years. Hospitality definitely massively impacted as an industry but I think this is definitely helpful for them rather than hindering.

 

[IanM]

I got an email advising me my free period would end when live footy etc returned.

I also spoke to a pro last week who said he just wanted to get back playing ! Venue and prize money wasn't an issue as long as making the cut covered costs!

 

[IanM]

I’m struggling to see how hosting professional events need to occur at the expense of staff possible losing jobs and livelihoods.

No the jobs aren’t on the line because of the tournament.

...hence the confusion. In the original post did you mean that events shouldn't take place "against a backdrop of folk losing jobs?" Well Celtic Manor has stood empty for a few months.....getting folk back in can only help.

 

[9_ShanK_9]

My sky sports subscription will increase when I have to pay. As for the venues. When we entered lockdown, many of the staff where placed on furlough. Small teams would have remained to carry out safety checks, admin and maintenance of the course(s).

The greenstaff limited in numbers and the procedures they could carry have performed an amazing job. Though the standards expected of top courses in late May when golf returned where a long way off. Then comes the expectation of hosting a European Tour event live on Sky Ports, within only a couple of months.
I’m in no doubt all greenstaff at the venues have now been removed from the job retention scheme and are back working with possible overtime available. All paid for by the owners of the establishment.

To get these courses back up to a tour event standard is going to take a lot of man hours, resources and finances. Whilst all this is going on the staff based in the hotels, bars and restaurants that were furloughed, remain on furlough. This is were my concern lies, as the majority of the staff have little idea where there future is heading.

Believe me I fully understand the impact hosting a tour event can have on the reputation of an establishment. These benefits will not be felt for some time.

 

[jim8flog]

Have Sky Sports increased their price again, or are the free months they gave subscribers (due to Covid/lack of live sport) coming to an end as they'll be broadcasting football and golf amongst other things this month, with F1 and other sports following close behind.

.

My sky sports subscription will increase when I have to pay.

If you paused sky sports the pause period ends on the 19th June. Depending on when you are billed you will see a pro rata charge on your account.

There has been no increase in the charges that I am aware of or talked about on the sky forums other than the usual increase which came in April.

 

[fundy]

I really struggle to see the problem, what would you rather, they dont have any tournaments? So ensure that professionals cant play, that all the staff that would return to work in preparation of and for the event remain furloughed and the venue mothballs into an even poorer state, making it even harder in future to return to being a successful business and retain those people their jobs?

These hotels are owned by big companies who will be being paid nicely to host the tournaments and provide the required facilities (they chose the venues because they could offer the one site facilities), enabling them to return some of of their staff to work, advertising their business to gain in the future which again will benefit the business, the employees and the general economy

 

[IanM]

[QUOTE="9_ShanK_9, post: 2185925, member: 28127". Whilst all this is going on the staff based in the hotels, bars and restaurants that were furloughed, remain on furlough. [/QUOTE]

Nope... the reason for using these locations is that all the infrastructure is on site with no need for daily travel. An the staff you refer to will be back at their their stations for the folk staying there. I may be wrong, but I dont think the players will be making their own meals and doing laundry.

 

[Deleted member 25172]

I believe what we are seeing here is a classic case of over-thinking. Been a “victim” of it many a times myself, so know what it can look like.

If it’s not, then I’m joining the group who simply don’t understand what the problem would be with getting people back to their jobs.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I thought the courses were sensibly picked with on site accommodation so players, caddies, rules officials and everyone needed to run an event are all in one place so no logistical issues and once on site should be reasonable enough to socially distance.

 

[9_ShanK_9]

Definitely is the case these sites are picked for the facilities they offer and not the status of the courses themselves. Probably over thinking but there is still concern. There is the chance that the full facilities of the venues will be available at reduced capacity due to social distancing.

Hopefully all staff at these venues will return to provide excellent service. Also hopefully they remain in their roles going into the future. I’m as much of a professional tournament fan as the next golf fanatic, the more in the UK the better. You’ve just got to be realistic about the fact these venues are not primarily there for golf. I suppose the only people who could give us an insight into possible outcomes at this moment are the UK government.

 

[Grant85]

It appears there is much excitement arising over the upcoming 6 European Tour events being staged at 5 venues across England and Wales. I for one was initially full of joy at the prospect of 6 consecutive weeks of live professional golf on Sky Sports from most courses I’ve played. I then started thinking about all the resources and funding needed, minus spectator control to make a tournament the spectacle they are

The prize funds for these events are considerably lower than they would have been if Covid-19 had not arisen. Only leading to lack of incentive for sponsorship deals. Much of the cost for providing the staging and infrastructure for the tournament is placed on the venues.

The 5 hosting venues are all large scale hospitality businesses, where a large amount of the establishments revenue is generated through the sale of rooms, food, beverage and conference facilities. Due to lockdown and social distancing regulations, there has been a massive financial impact on these businesses performance, now and into the future. There appears to be little light at the end of the tunnel.

As recently seen on the TV news and other forms of journalism, large scale travel and hospitality firms have been hit hard leading to proposed redundancies. I can only assume that the 5 venues on the 2020 UK Swing are not exempt from this scenario.

Is there justification in a hospitality orientated venue facing large financial constraints, spending capital to host a professional sporting event, only to be seen by those with a Sky Sports subscription. Which may I state, has just increased in price yet again, must be due to all the live sport they’ve been showing. Perhaps the expected revenue generated from exposure on this platform is enough to justify this. Personally I don’t believe it helps in the present.

Since lockdown restrictions were reduced back in May I’ve seen a resurgence in amateur golf across the UK And it is stronger than ever. I’m struggling to see how hosting professional events need to occur at the expense of staff possible losing jobs and livelihoods.

I'm not really sure what your concern is here. Just that the optics of a load of golfers playing at 5 star hotel venues isn't great?

Sorry but that is completely the wrong attitude to have. These resorts are businesses like any other, who mobilise the economy be employing hundreds of people and spending millions per year to other businesses for maintenance, upkeep, delivery, catering, etc. Post covid we need the people who can afford to spend to spend in order to oil the machinery of the economy.

My feeling is that during the financial crisis, it actually took a bit longer for us to come out of things because people felt they couldn't or shouldn't spend, even if they could afford to. There was talk of 'times are tough' and 'eceonmic uncertainty' long after the markets had bottomed out.

We also have a big problem in this country in that the news only reports the stock market when it has fallen. This got blanket coverage in March when the markets fell sharply (around 35%) but little has been mentioned that most of these losses have been recovered during March and April and most investors will be back to about where they were in the early part of 2019.

And also should be said that while a lot of the players who will be at these events will be very well off, some won't and a lot of caddies will be genuinely wondering where their next mortgage payment or rent payment is coming from.

Not to mention that the European Tour is a business who have contractual obligations to broadcasters and sponsors to provide events and generate media content.

 

[Grant85]

Celtic Manor wouldn't be touching this with a barge pole unless sponsorship and tv money made it worth while. It will probably get folk back to work rather than cost jobs.

You'd be surprised... but I think the venues will actually be paying to host (ether with money or simply with provision of accommodation and catering).

I'm pretty sure the European Tour will not be paying the venues for the use of their property.

On the subject of social distancing... I listened to Keith Pelley on the McKellar Golf podcast. It seems they are going to great lengths to create a 'Tour bubble' so all of the venues have been selected on the basis of;
* being within 3 hours drive of the previous venue
* sufficient accommodation on site, or v close, for all relevant participants and staff
* exclusive use of entire property by ET staff and players only

They are also testing people every week I believe, but it sounds like there will be very little opportunity for people to bring the virus on site so I'd guess social distancing will be less of a problem - for example between players and caddies and signing scorecards etc.

 

[Canary Kid]

I’m interested to see how often players on the European/PGA tours lose balls without a crowd to show them exactly where in the rough their ball has landed.