Bivens Gets the Last Laugh
Irony Abounds at the U.S. Women’s OpenEun-Hee Ji’s win at the U.S. Women’s Open as LPGA Commissioner Carolyn Bivens was being ousted is the height of irony.Bivens, who resigned under pressure Monday, previously pushed for a language policy requiring English proficiency that was intended to make international players more palatable to predominately U.S. sponsors.The controversial proposal appeared to be aimed at the Tour’s growing ranks of South Koreans and really pissed people off. Although it’s been nearly a year and the plan was never implemented, it is being cited one of several reasons why a group of prominent professional golfers recently requested her resignation.Ji, a South Korean, won in dramatic fashion on Sunday – Bivens’ last day as commissioner – with a birdie on the final hole. But the awkward post-round interview with the help of a translator was exactly what Bivens wanted to avoid. Ji’s win, and the fact that it hasn’t exactly dominated headlines, gives Bivens the perfect I-told-you-so moment on her way out the door. When players can’t easily communicate with sponsors or their consumers it is difficult to promote the game, and that’s not good for business. Bivens was right. She was just too brusque.Same for her aggressive stand with sponsors. Bivens tried to benefit the Tour and its players by gaining more exposure and bigger purses, but it clearly came at the cost of relationships with sponsors. The LPGA has lost several tournament sponsors in the past two years and the players who called for her resignation believe more than a bad economy is to blame.Meanwhile, Cristie Kerr, a former U.S. Women’s Open winner, led the tournament for much of the weekend until she stumbled on Sunday. Her misfortune at the biggest prize in women’s pro golf also drips with irony given she is reportedly one of several players who favored bumping Bivens. A frustrated Kerr slammed her golf clubs and kicked her bag yesterday when things didn’t go her way. Things didn’t go Bivens’ way and the two may have more in common than they thought.In the end, Bivens was prophetic but not polished. And, one of her detractors is now sharing in disappointment about unfulfilled ambitions. The ironic conclusion of the 2009 U.S. Women’s Open gives the former LPGA commissioner an opportunity to be both smug and unsympathetic.NiceBallz knows a thing or two about being petty. Find more of their golf commentary and peevishness at http://twitter.com/NiceBallz or http://twitter.com/GolferWriterGuy.
Loading ...
The whole situation is complex. I agree that it is difficult for the LPGA to get sponsors and people to pay a lot of money for pro-am spots when they cannot communicate with the some of the players. But Bivens “learn English or else” came off as racist instead of pro-active. My thought is that Bivens came off as harsh and bitchy instead of strong and caring. I hope, for the LPGA, that they will find a leader better suited to their needs.
One can find irony in almost anything if one looks hard enough.
Bivens was a very savvy media expert with a confrontational and brutish style that played well in the glory days of free flowing funds, but quickly became poison when budgets became tight.
Cristie Kerr and the other players who called for her resignation, did so because they saw that she was no longer effective at attracting new sponsors and was rapidly alienating old ones. They saw that she was out of touch with the new economic reality and they knew she was not about to change.
The much criticized timing of their action was necessary because the avalanche of lost sponsors happened so quickly, and came to a head on just before the European swing that’ll have everyone overseas for a few (possibly crucial) weeks.
With all due respect, your whole bit comparing Cristie Kerr’s disappointment with not winning the US Open to Carolyn Bivens being asked to resign doesn’t serve any purpose other than a dramatic one. At least not that I can see.
Koko is right, it’s a complex situation – you appear to be over-simplifying it for dramatic effect, which I totally understand BTW.
I’ll let Corey respond to many of your points but there are a few that I find interesting:
- The timing of LPGA players letter: The criticism is well warranted. While it can be easy to be apologetic for the timing by claiming not a moment could be spared, the fact is this kettle had been brewing for some time and the players could have easily waited, or better yet, gone sooner in taking a stance so as to avoid distracting from what is arguably their most anticipated event of the year. No one is above mistakes and Kerr along w/her cohorts in delivering the letter at the time of their choosing proved that simple fact.
- Oversimplification: You’re right, we do think some of this is quite simple. While the English-only topic is a complex one that Bivens fumbled by trying to oversimplify through implementation of a ’do it or else’ policy…the fact is she was right in identifying the problem (which hasn’t gone away) and we simply pointed out that the irony existed in spades given the U.S. Open outcome and her subsequent departure.
Thanks for reading!
good stuff, Hack. Timing is everything, and picking this week to do what the players did was just a bad idea all around.
the English language initiative was torpedoed by bad reporting by Beth Ann Baldry. She took half a story, didn’t bother to get the whole story, then ran off in a dozen different politically correct directions – at the same time ignoring the fact that the players weren’t protesting. Baldry was the cause of the firestorm – not Bivens in this case.
I’m not sure I get the “irony”. Ji is the third Korean woman to win the Women’s US Open in the last 5 years. Not exactly a trend – but not a real surprise.
And the “irony” of Kerr losing because her name is on the “Bye Bye Bivens” letter ? Coincidence, but not irony.
I did see a story about Bivens on Golf Central this morning. About half the women who signed that letter were in the story giving Bivens big smiles and hugs. Now THAT is irony – or is it just a “beware of smiling faces coming at you – you might get stabbed in the back when they go by” warning ?
Lots of coincidence. Lots of irony. We’re just pointing out the funny timing and twists of life. We try not to take things too seriously. It’s just golf.
No, losing a golf tournament and being fired are not the same. Though both must be disappointing. And, any leader does some things well and bungles others. She was no different.
We’re not trying to be uber news analysis guys (there are lots of bankrupt newspapers for that) or overly dramatic (go see a show on Broadway).
We’re just two guys interested in golf and we have some professional experience in corporate communications. We think we bring a unique perspective and we hope you enjoy reading NiceBallz.