by Fred Seely
Editorial Director
Jack Tyson says his auobiography will be titled “He Only Fired Me Once.”
“He,” in this case, is George Steinbrenner. You probably don’t know Jack Tyson, but he’s the new director of sales and marketing for The Players Championship
Steinbrenner was the majority owner of the New York Yankees back in 1981 - just as he is today - and Tyson found himself on the wrong end of the trigger finger of the volcanic man they call “The Boss.”
“I was just out of college (St. Johns University) and I got on with the Yankees,” said Tyson. “They were in the World series with the Dodgers that year and I was sent to Los Angeles as the advance man to handle the hotel rooms and players’ tickets. I was so new to the job that I had to call my mother to ask what I should wear!
“I met the team and got their ticket needs. I rmember sitting in the middle of the locker room handling them out to people like reggie Jackson.
“I get back to the hotel and there are a dozen pink call-back slips under the door - no cell phones back then, of course - and all were from The Boss. I called and he lit into me: ‘Where have you been? What kind of an employee are you?’ On and on.
“No way I could answer. Heck, I had just been doing my job and I was catching hell from the owner!”
The phone call ended as do many involving Steinbrenner. Donald Trump may have made the phrase famous, but Steinbrenner should get the credit: “You’re fired!”
Tyson’s road to Ponte Vedra then went through Atlanta. After leaving the Yankees, he attended the baseball winter meetings and latched on with the Braves, who then were one of the worst teams in baseball.
“Believe me, you learn a lot more about selling tickets when you work for a bad team,” said Tyson.
He went on to form his own marketing company and one of his clients was the PGA Tour for its Tour Championship at Atlanta’s East Lake GC.
“He did a wonderful job and when the position here opened, we went right to him,” said Players Championship Executive Director Ron Cross, who worked extensively with the Tour Championship prior to taking over The Players.
Tyson replaces veteran Players staff member Jan Leone, who’s now the director of sales and marketing for the Frys.com Open in Las Vegas, another PGA Tour event.
He’ll direct the entire sales effort - tickets and corporate - for The Players.
“The volunteers here have a great reputation for helping,” said Tyson. “The Redcoats (the tournament’s past chairmen and presidents) provide a terrific link to the community. It’s going to be great working with them.”
His wife, who has her own marketing company, is still in Atlanta and will move soon, but right now he’s commuting.
Children?
“I’m my wife’s only child,” said Tyson.