I’m not planning to pay $19.99 to watch the Phil Mickelson-Tiger Woods pay-per-view golf match, although because I write about this stuff for a living, I probably could get my employer to pick up the tab.
Unless the microphones pick up Mickelson giving out an insider stock tip, it’s hard to see what would make it worth the time, let alone the money.
It is, however, foolish to suggest no one will sign up for “The Match: Tiger vs. Phil” at 2 p.m. Friday. There is an audience for everything in this day and age.
In Norway, for example, prime-time coverage of the World Chess Championship has proved to be a big fat hit. So, you know, different strokes.
Anyway, back to this Mickelson-Woods Turner Sports production at Las Vegas’ Shadow Creek. There’s a $9 million prize on the line, with side bets the two golfers make on the course earmarked for charity. Mickelson proposed an initial wager to Woods for the first hole during Tuesday’s news conference.
“I feel like the first hole is a great hole for me,” Phil said. “I’m willing to risk $100,000 that says I birdie the first hole.”
“Double it,” Tiger said.
“Did you see how I baited him like that?” Mickelson said with a smile.
Some people can treat $200,000 like it’s $19.99.
If lots of people spring for this, we all may pay in the end. That’s the real side bet here. “Tiger vs. Phil” is testing the waters. If it’s a hit, you can be sure there will be other pay-per-view challenges. Basketball one-on-one. Challenge races. Skills competitions.
It’s not a huge leap from there to paying to see the Masters, and the price may be a lot higher than $19.99. Maybe not next year or the next, but down the road.
Fail to nip this in the bud and someday you may find yourself fondly recalling the days when you ignored the World Chess Championship because you didn’t care and not because it was too expensive.
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