Another Sign The PGA Tour Is Warming To Daily Fantasy?

Given the role that fantasy leagues and daily fantasy (gambling) have played in strengthening fan ties to other sports, new PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan has expressed an open mind toward the possibilities. The daily fantasy world is seeing golf as a growth industry. Television networks would not be opposed to more eyeballs.

So it was intriguing to see the Tour bless Willy Wilcox signing an appearance deal with DraftKings. As Brian Wacker reports for GolfDigest.com, the deal would seem to violate rules against players endorsing gaming companies.

For Wilcox’s part, he won’t have a DraftKings logo on his bag or apparel, and is in no way “endorsing” the company, says his agent Drew Carr -- though Wilcox did excitedly tweet about the new relationship, saying, “So pumped to announce I am officially paired up with @DraftKings! Helping them with some epic events..dream come true see y'all at Pinehurst.”

If that’s not an endorsement, where exactly is the line? It’s a blurry one at best.

“This is an opportunity that we have carefully navigated for the better part of a year, while keeping in close communication with the Tour,” Carr said. “This is not an endorsement of DraftKings, and it is not an endorsement agreement.

Comments

[Oneunder]

No sport lends itself to wagering more then golf. Daily fantasy just opens it to more people.

[Confused]

It's been around for quite awhile .... The Major Million whatever anyways. :)

[JS]

Let's cut away the crap...It doesn't connect people to golf, it simply gives gamblers an additional outlet. I have no problem with it, but let's try to call it straight.

[@GSQ]

Good post @JS. Linking up with gamblers might make bring a few eyeballs to telecasts but highly doubtful it fill times on empty tee sheets anywhere.

[Don]

I think fantasy football brought in at least 1/2 of current NFL enthusiasts.

Not the same as phone betting on Draft Kings but close enough.

[OWGR Fan]

Many gamblers never watch what they bet on. Regardless of sport. So while Draft Kings has had daily fantasy golf for some time it's not impacted ratings or viewership in any way. To put it another way the NFL is bet on unbelievably heavy every week including fantasy and its ratings are sinking. So daily fantasy is really going to increase interest/ratings in golf? Hardly.

Recall that Finchem stated some time back the PGA Tour would be as popular on tv as the NFL with Tiger. How did that work out? Now the PGA Tour can't get away from the NFL on tv fast enough.Perspective people.

[Don]

OWGR
You're probably right.
But I remember playing fantasy football when we had to check scores in the newspaper and call the commissioner's house on Sunday morning to make lineup changes. Now there is a separate RedZone channel for FF players to watch.
In 20 years fantasy golf could be fairly big and there isn't much downside in promoting it now.

[Tom Morris]

In the 1830's two Scottish Gentlemen bet 500guineas on one round of golf and after the first match they had the same bet for a second round on a different course. Nothing out of order there except in todays value the bet would be worth £336,237.00 Two rounds for 2/3 of a million pounds - now that was a bet.