"Desperate and dateless"

Mick Elliott on the Tour's sponsorless Tampa stop, which will be returning to Innisbrook in March:

Crazy is what this has become. Long ago it was common knowledge Chrysler planned a dramatic decrease in its golf sponsorship, ending tournament involvement for Tampa Bay, Tucson, Ariz., and Greensboro, N.C., after this year. Yet the season is ending with the PGA Tour and Tampa Bay tournament officials desperate and dateless.

A tournament designated worthy of a place on the spring schedule, played on a golf course players call one of the best and most popular on tour, and contributor of more than $8 million to local charities since its 2000 inception hasn't found a sponsor.

And...

With the exception of two "out of the box" hopefuls - both invited by the tournament and both getting their initial introduction to golf - no corporate checkbooks searching for a place to put the company name set foot on Innisbrook during the week.

I'm just wondering how the Tour could move this event to March without having had a sponsor locked up? Did they underestimate Chrysler's desire to get out of golf?

Or was there a little Florida-is-wonderful bias that led them to assume sponsors would line up for a week at Innisbrook?

Because we know the resort didn't want to move to March and well, most importantly, the drapes and decor are outdated. 

Comments

[Hawkeye]

What would happen if it were to fold altogether? I can't see any late-time replacements (Southern Farm Bureau? An eight-round event at Doral? The Players' on sand greens?), so I assume that it would mean that the "southern swing" would be one with a very pronounced pause at the top! What a blow THAT would be for the boys at PVB!

[Jimmy]

This is what happens when you make things up as you go along, sad state of affairs this!

[Joes Crab Shac]

If they hadn't pissed in Norman's Wheaties, the Out Back Steakhouse boys might have been willing to be title sponsor. They've screwed this thing up so bad Hooters wouldn't want to have anything to do with them.