Mark H. McCormack Predicts the Future of Golf

On January 5, 1974, Mark McCormack wrote a twenty-one page speech (Exhibit 1) about the future of professional sports, in particular professional golf, with the uncertain economic times ahead. Fifty-one years later, we can see history repeating itself as the United States faces fresh financial issues. We can apply McCormack’s words to the current economic climate, the 2020 COVID shutdown, and the future of golf as it continues to evolve. He noted that, “the sport of golf on a worldwide basis stands at a critical crossroad as the 1974 season moves into high gear” and we see that the next golf season is at a similarly critical crossroad given the current state of global economics, politics, and culture. McCormack’s incredible vision for sports and its worldwide impact are on display, cementing the legacy he left behind.

Economic Pressures to Professional Sports

McCormack wrote about how there was the “fear” that the country was “headed to a difficult era” that “might involve substantive changes in our more materialistic concepts of life.” 1974 was right in the middle of a severe recession, the most severe since World War II, as stock prices were down and American citizens were spending less in all areas of their lives, but particularly around professional sports. As the United States continues to head into financial uncertainty as we approach 2026, McCormack’s 1974 predictions are just as relevant today, particularly his curiosity as to what “would be the consequences of a deep economic recession” on professional sports.

As of April 4, 2025, United States President Donald Trump implemented tariffs on close to 90 countries, including China, Vietnam, and several other countries utilized for manufacturing and distributing goods. Many golf equipment manufacturers produce their products in those countries and distribute throughout the world. Due to the increase in tariffs, there has been a downstream increase in cost of golf clubs, balls, apparel, and other related golf merchandise. With companies having to increase production costs, they may want to invest less in sport sponsorships – as McCormack noted “a significant recession is bound to decrease the amount of corporate money available for sponsoring golf tournaments and the like.” Sports have seen a rise in corporate partnerships in recent years, with the NHL, NBA and MLB including corporate sponsorship patches on their jerseys, helmets, and apparel. Professional golf tournaments are often hosted by a corporate sponsor, and every professional golfer can be individually sponsored as golfers often show off their sponsorships on clothes, hats, shoes, and golf bags. McCormack wrote, “spurring the corporation officers and private investors who have poured hundreds of millions of dollars into sport in the last decade is a simple, familiar motive: greed.” Sports are as much of a business as any other industry, so it is understandable that corporations who put money into tournaments or leagues want to make revenue from those investments. However, with many corporations tightening their wallets right now and decreasing ad spending, one wonders if we will see a reduction of corporate sponsorship or a reduction in sponsorship by international businesses due to strained political relationships between the United States and other countries. As McCormack noted, “the minute sport does not give the investor a good buy, it is going to be goodby (sic).”

Furthermore, it will be necessary to see how those increasingly difficult relationships between the United States and other countries carry over into professional golf events held in other countries. While the NFL, NBA, WNBA, NWSL, and MLB rarely play international games, the PGA and LPGA Tours host tournaments worldwide, widening the exposure of both the brand and the business. The PGA hosts tournaments in Japan, Bermuda, Mexico, Canada, and the United Kingdom, while the LPGA includes those same countries in addition to Thailand, France, Scotland, China, Malaysia, and Korea [1].

COVID Bans Lead to Uptick in Golf

In 1974, Mark McCormack wrote “bans, rationing or restrictions on driving will have some effect on professional golf everywhere” which was related to the economic situation of the time and the oil crisis of the 1970s. As a result, McCormack forecasted a negative effect, but we saw the opposite effect on golf from COVID-19 restrictions. 2021 saw, “more rounds of golf than any in history” as reported by the National Golf Foundation. The United States saw a record-high uptick in country club memberships as they offered “exclusive, socially distanced outdoor amenities and activities, and allow people who can afford it, a way to escape without flouting CDC guidelines or travel restrictions [2].” This too echoes what McCormack wrote because golf was “an upper-middle-class and upper-class sport.” Professional golf also saw an increase in TV viewership as there were 5,150,000 people watching the PGA Championship in 2020, compared with 6,583,000 in 2021 – even without Tiger Woods playing [3]. With this increase in fans and active golfers, it will be critical to evaluate how the country’s current tariffs affect these numbers as President Trump “may have levied a critical blow to the golf boom that’s been on a record pace since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic [4]."

Fresh Ideas for the Growth of Golf

In 2021, the LIV Golf Tour emerged to compete with the PGA Tour as a rival league. Several notable PGA Tour players switched to the new league, including Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, and Jon Rahm. The LIV Golf Tour is backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF). In 1974, McCormack wrote that “today’s touring pro considers himself an individual businessman, totally free to play or not play, be there or not be there, as whim and fancy strike him.” Professional golfers have been deemed to be ‘independent contractors’ rather than employees of their respective Tours. Many of the former PGA players who left for LIV admitted that it was for the money and scheduling convenience.

McCormack predicted a situation like this occurring when writing about sponsors making a profit: “Past loyalty on the part of the sponsor to the PGA. . .counts for nothing when a more lucrative sponsor comes along. The attitude of the majority of the players – and it is they who set such policies – long has been, ‘What’s in it for us?’” Ironically, when discussing the future of international golf McCormack noted “the main cloud on this horizon is again the international economic picture. If only the Arabs played golf!” As we’ve seen, the rise in popularity of golf in Arabic nations has led to a competing golf league, though there may be a merger in the works between the PGA and LIV. Whether or not the merger goes through, the PGA Tour should revitalize some of its practices to ensure fans, players, and sponsors are all happy in the end. As McCormack quoted the retired PGA Tour Commissioner Joseph C. Day, he noted that “it would appear to be especially important at this time that golf carefully assess the marketability of its product and upgrade it in every possible way.”

The PGA Tour has undergone some changes due to the threat LIV Golf presented to both its business model and relationship with Tour professionals. This has shifted some of its expectations for players after listening to passionate feedback during the early days. In 1974, McCormack noted that “if nothing else, the U.S. tour must find a way to guarantee the appearance of its stars at certain designated events.” There are now eight “Signature Events” that bring forward the biggest stars of golf, excluding the four Majors which always draw attention and star power.

McCormack also voiced his support for a big tournament to end the PGA season: “something all other big sports have and the U.S. tour needs. Golf would then have its form of the Superbowl, World Series, Stanley Cup and the like.” Presently, professional golfers earn FedExCup points for each tournament they play in, leading to the playoffs at the end of the season and culminating with the FedExCup trophy and a bonus of $25 million. McCormack also lamented the decline of the former golf event, “the World Cup”; the IMG founder would be happy to know that not only have the Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup, and Solheim Cup flourished, but professional golf is back in the Olympics. The 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles will host a mixed-team format as well, pairing professional men and women golfers. McCormack equally supported men’s and women’s golf and would likely be delighted to see how golf has evolved over the decades.

As the creator of the first modern sports agency, McCormack is rightfully championed as one of the most influential people in the business of sport, but he should also be recognized for his vision and in-depth understanding of sports, marketing, and economics that far surpasses so many others. Mark McCormack knew how to grow the game – starting with golf and consistently expanding to a wide variety of sports while adjusting through decades of economic issues and uncertainty, everchanging culture, and varying political landscapes.