It’s Masters Thursday and Positive Sean™ is back.
How could I not be? Azaleas are blooming, peach ice cream sandwiches are being devoured and Augusta National is watching strong apparently, we will be in sunny skies for the entire tour.
Yesterday, Masters chairman Fred Ridley delivered his annual State of the Union address. This is usually a victory lap for all the many amazing developments happening around ANGC, and rightfully so.
Masters almost never makes mistakes, especially if we are talking about the last 15 years. The app is an incredible piece of technology, adherence to the no-phone policy is admirable, the Augusta Women’s National Amateur has been a hit, and their overall “approachable yet professional” branding strategy should be studied in college classrooms.
If you’ve been to the Masters, you’ll know that no pimento cheese sandwich goes without a return. Details matter. We’re talking everything from bathroom line logistics to player dining. All things considered and the Masters is almost 1000, even if some traditions have been overrated over the years.
So it is one rare thing when the Master makes a legitimate mistake.
And it’s even rarer when the Masters publicly admit that mistake.
“It may not have been the best decision”
These are the words Ridley used during his press conference.
Was he talking about Augusta’s stance on the comeback? No. Ridley doubled down on the ANGC’s support for governing bodies, saying golf has become too one-dimensional at the highest level.
“The impact on recreational play will be negligible,” according to Ridley.
There weren’t many other telling quotes from Ridley. He affirmed support for Tiger Woods and said he has a good working relationship with PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp.
But during a mention of the Masters’ overall content strategy, Ridley admitted that a mistake was made a few years ago when they invited Dude Perfect to “play” Amen Corner (it was a “battle of all sports” where members of the group had to throw and kick different objects on each hole).
“A few years ago we had Dude Perfect playing frisbee at Amen Corner,” Ridley said. “In retrospect… (laughs)… I like those guys… but it might not have been the best decision.”
Here’s that video (it has 19 million views) for those who don’t remember.
For context, Masters has been more progressive with their content and branding strategy over the past few years.
Tradition is still very important to the green jackets, but the Masters has been willing to cater to the modern golf landscape in a number of ways. This is displayed in the merchandise store with caps in large letters that say “LOOK FOR IT” (referring to players trying to get their ball across the pond on 16 during practice rounds), this is displayed on the website where every shot is available for viewing (Masters was the first to offer this). this appears with an extension of the main stream which is new for this year, this is shown by the outstanding efforts around the Drive, Chip and Putt competition for juniors.
I could go on for years, but it’s clear that the Masters isn’t stuck in the past. The event has been a leader in how to run an event in the modern era while still honoring its history.
Having said that, I really appreciate that maybe not any progressive idea is an ideal fit for the Masters.
Dude Perfect has a gigantic reach — one of the biggest on YouTube — which Ridley initially cited as an excuse to put them out. The groups also cater to a younger audience that may not know the Masters exists in the first place.
You can understand where the Masters were going with this.
But a line has to be drawn somewhere with their content strategy
And that line should probably have been drawn allowing Bryson DeChambeau and a handful of influencers to throw a football around Rae’s Creek.
That kind of idea might work well for the PGA Championship, but the Masters brand is powerful because it exists in that special space where sports fans deeply respect the institution.
Being on the field should maintain some level of sanctity. As much as I love golf on YouTube, that idea of Dude Perfect content went against that Masters North Star that gave us just enough to be satisfying without compromising the allure of the franchise that defines so much of the ANGC and the tournament.
Is it a catastrophic mistake? No, absolutely not. Hey, nothing in life is perfect. It’s not really a big deal.
But my larger point here is that I honestly admire the Masters so much for taking the risk, reflecting on it, and admitting that it wasn’t the right move for them.
Great organizations do this.
OK, back to action. Enjoy a round of one of the best tournaments on Earth.
Top Photo Caption: Fred Ridley gives his annual press conference Wednesday morning at the Masters. (GETTY IMAGES/Joe Toth)
