The R&A CEO Mark Darbon said despite recent “disruption” in professional golf, the audience across key professional golf properties has been “really strong” over the past 12-18 months. Speaking on “Leaders Worth Knowing” with Leaders in Sport Content Dir David Cushnan, Darbon said, “Broadcast audiences are up for the PGA Tour, they’re certainly up for the majors and the most significant other golf events around the world.” Darbon said the R&A’s “key thought is that golf is a global game,” so it is in their interest to see “strong sustainable, elite professional events taking place all around the world supported by the world’s best players.” Darbon noted that since he took his role as R&A CEO, there has been leadership changes at the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, LPGA, DP World Tour and the LPGA. Darbon said the R&A has “good relationships with all of those key stakeholders,” adding there are “opportunities for enhanced collaboration moving forward.” Discussing LIV, Darbon said at events like in Australia and South Africa, when “big name players turn up” to markets that have been underserved by elite professional golf, the crowds “turn up.” Darbon said the R&A believes there is a “model where there can be a strong global footprint for our sport moving forward,” adding he does not believe that is “dependent on LIV being in existence or not far from it.” Darbon added there are “lots of things we can continue to do to influence that model directly” and “we have a vested interest in ensuring that the sport is sustainable at the elite professional level” into the future (“Leaders Worth Knowing,” 4/22).
R&A CEO sees strong, growing audiences in golf despite recent disruptions
