‘Very Exciting Development For Sports Tourism’
“This week’s announcement that Bermuda will host its first-ever mainstream PGA Tour event, the Bermuda Championship, is a very exciting development for sports tourism in Bermuda,” Minister of Tourism & Transport Zane DeSilva said.
Speaking in the House of Assembly today [June 7], the Minister said, “PGA Tour events are broadcast to international audiences and this is an excellent opportunity for Port Royal Golf Course to host a top-level sporting event in October this year.
“The TV coverage, to be aired primetime in North America, will showcase Bermuda’s stunning natural beauty and the legendary hospitality and friendliness of its people to a wide audience of discerning travellers.
“The Bermuda Tourism Authority [BTA] has signed a five-year agreement with the PGA Tour as title sponsor of the Bermuda Championship. And, please note, this will be a fully sanctioned Tour player event, which distinguishes it from the PGA Grand Slam of Golf: players entering this Championship are playing for points that count towards the $35 million FedEx Cup purse.
“In the Tour calendar, the Bermuda Championship will sit opposite the HSBC World Golf Championship in Shanghai, replacing the Sanderson Farms Championship which has been upgraded to a stand-alone PGA Tour event.
“While the very top players – including Tiger Woods – will be in China, Bermuda can expect to host up to 120 of the world’s top players, including a diverse group of rising stars in the golf world.
“Compared with other ‘alternate’ events on the PGA Tour, the Bermuda Championship is a cost-effective and valuable media property because, for the North American audience, the Shanghai event is taking place overnight, while our event will take place in prime viewing time.
“The Government is very excited to share this news, and the Ministry is looking forward to working with the PGA Tour and the team at the Bermuda Tourism Authority to make the event an international success with the intention that Bermuda becomes an ‘annual fixture’ on the PGA Tour calendar.”
The Minister’s full statement follows below:
Mr. Speaker, this week’s announcement that Bermuda will host its first-ever mainstream PGA Tour event, the Bermuda Championship, is a very exciting development for sports tourism in Bermuda.
PGA Tour events are broadcast to international audiences and this is an excellent opportunity for Port Royal Golf Course to host a top-level sporting event in October this year. The TV coverage, to be aired primetime in North America, will showcase Bermuda’s stunning natural beauty and the legendary hospitality and friendliness of its people to a wide audience of discerning travellers.
The Bermuda Tourism Authority [BTA] has signed a five-year agreement with the PGA Tour as title sponsor of the Bermuda Championship. And, please note, this will be a fully sanctioned Tour player event, which distinguishes it from the PGA Grand Slam of Golf: players entering this Championship are playing for points that count towards the $35 million FedEx Cup purse.
In the Tour calendar, the Bermuda Championship will sit opposite the HSBC World Golf Championship in Shanghai, replacing the Sanderson Farms Championship which has been upgraded to a stand-alone PGA Tour event. While the very top players – including Tiger Woods – will be in China, Bermuda can expect to host up to 120 of the world’s top players, including a diverse group of rising stars in the golf world. Compared with other ‘alternate’ events on the PGA Tour, the Bermuda Championship is a cost-effective and valuable media property because, for the North American audience, the Shanghai event is taking place overnight, while our event will take place in prime viewing time.
Mr Speaker, the Government is confident the primary objectives in securing this event for Bermuda will be met. They are to:
- a] generate significant increased spending on-island during the fall shoulder season when the event is held,
- b] generate significant media exposure to increase awareness of Bermuda and showcase the island as a destination for golfing, tourism and business to the lucrative US and wider global audience, and,
- c] increase visitor numbers from key feeder markets as a result of hosting the event.
In fact, the PGA Tour television audience is one that aligns very well with Bermuda’s target visitor profile.
- 1] PGA Tour audiences travel more times per year outside the US than average, making it more likely they will consider Bermuda as an international destination.
- 2] PGA Tour audiences are 82% more likely than average to spend over $6,000 per year on foreign travel, making it more likely they can afford to travel and spend in Bermuda.
- 3] PGA Tour audiences are 72% more likely than average to influence others in where to vacation, making it more likely that they will recommend Bermuda.
- 4] PGA Tour television audiences grew 27% in 2018 and is reaching a diverse younger audience beyond its traditional base.
The Bermuda Championship schedule will span almost a full week, once practice days and the Pro-Am rounds are taken into account. Also, the PGA Tour will make available positions for the leading Bermudian golfers to play in the tournament.
Mr Speaker, the PGA Tour requires that all sanctioned events have a purpose in the community in which they play. Youth and school engagement activations are examples of programmes that can be planned around the core event.
The Government is very excited to share this news, and the Ministry is looking forward to working with the PGA Tour and the team at the Bermuda Tourism Authority to make the event an international success with the intention that Bermuda becomes an ‘annual fixture’ on the PGA Tour calendar.
Thank you, Mr Speaker
“This week’s announcement that Bermuda will host its first-ever mainstream PGA Tour event, the Bermuda Championship, is a very exciting development for sports tourism in Bermuda,” Minister of Tourism & Transport Zane DeSilva said.”
I agree. Don’t forget to thank Kevin Dallas, Zane.
And the golf course will need upgraded.
Why isn’t he describing it as a ‘golf game for millionaires’?
What long term jobs will this specific event create?
How much are we giving away for this?
Reportedly we are financing the purse of $3,000,000 and costs for course improvements. All totaled over 5 years we are looking at a $25,000,000 investment!
This is not going to put money in the people’s pockets.
Without the Tiger Woods effect, golf is a dying sport. The last PGA event at Port Royal, apart from being very lucrative for construction, resulted in tickets being given away, school children bused in to create the impression of a crowd and very little TV exposure. I’m sure the Minister and his friends are looking forward to the pro/amateur tournament and the opportunity to be seen with certain players, but how is this helping ordinary Bermudians? What jobs will be created for the event and after?
PGA events are broadcast internationally but some network has to pick it up and provide it to their viewers. The major championship events are picked up by the major US networks, since 2014 there has been a sharp decline in the TV audience for major events. In 2018 The Masters had a TV audience of 13M and U.S. Open had 3.1M, these numbers make it difficult for the major networks to justify coverage. The TV viewing audience in US & Canada for the Bermuda event is estimated at 800,000 with the limited coverage these tour events get. The Opposition and stakeholders should be asking for details of Bermuda’s investment and the estimated ROI used to justify buying the event.
According to the Minister today the BTA is to shell out $3m n a year for ‘sponsorship commitments.’
That’s over 10% of their annual budget!
The $3M from BTA will only be part of the cost and just like Grand Slam the total cost to Bermuda will probably double. Where is the Opposition, isn’t there at least one member who understands ROI??????
I don’t think we’ll see super yachts lining Hamilton Harbour! SMDH!!
Nope not even Tiger’s it will be elsewhere (sorry doc). It would be nice to have an event that attracts super yachts….Like an event that lasts over a month and has a two year build up with homes being rented and extra people paying sugar tax and fuel/electric bills, putting kids into schools, eating at restaurants, shopping downtown…….but no.
First the boat race now the the golf game for the rich fab
Giving away $millions a year to rich millionaires for a golf game.
he’s talking balls as usual.
well the plp in power so all you plp supporters would put a blind eye to it, if it was oba in power we would all be marching to the house and have a day off, smh