by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
The 2008 Players Championship is well over 200 days away, but for those who run the tournament and oversee the nearly 2,000 volunteers, there is plenty to do these days.
“This is the time of year we start shoring up personnel, the committee structures and putting the leadership in place,” said Ron Natherson, chairman of the 2008 tournament set for May 5-11 at the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.
Natherson is one-half of the Ron and Ron team that will oversee virtually every aspect of the tournament except the maintenance of the course itself. The other half is Ron Cross, the vice president and executive director of The Players Championship. Next year’s tournament is a first for both. Natherson succeeds Tim Tresca as chair and Cross succeeds longtime executive director Brian Goin.
“Right now, we are focused on sales. This is our sales cycle,” said Cross, who was previously the Tour’s vice president of corporate affairs and special assistant to PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem.
Those sales, said Cross, include the corporate hospitality tents, sponsorships and tickets.
“We had about 40,000 to 45,000 (a day) last year and we are looking to grow again,” said Cross, adding he’d like to increase daily attendance by 3,000-5,000. “We are fortunate to have a tremendous foundation built by Brian Goin, the Red Coats (former chairs) and the PGA Tour staff.”
Cross said the local fan base is so good it’s time to start working on increasing the national fan base.
“We want to make people in Tampa, New York and Los Angeles part of it,” said Cross, explaining the increased tourism element associated with The Players will bolster the local economy and add to the tournament’s ability to donate to local charities.
Cross, who has been with the Tour 18 years and was a standard bearer at the first Players played at the Stadium Course in 1982, said 50,000 fans a day is about the most the tournament grounds and logistics could handle.
Natherson is vice president of claims and agent marketing for Southern Oak Insurance Company. He’s been a volunteer at The Players for 14 years and, like all the other chairs, has worked his way up through the committee ranks. He said his primary job right now is to line up the 2,000 volunteers needed for everything from transportation to clean up.
“After the first of the year things really heat up,” said Natherson, who was also recently named chair of the Cultural Council. Natherson said packets have been sent to last year’s volunteers. Once those have been returned, he’ll know how many new volunteers he needs for the ‘08 tournament.
Tuesday, Cross and David Pillsbury — who oversees the TPC properties for the Tour — unveiled The Champions Room. The dining room is within the brand new, 77,000 square-foot clubhouse and overlooks the 18th green.
During the The Players, The Champions Room is only open to competing players and their families. The rest of the year, the room is open to the public for lunch and dinner. It’s also the home of memorabilia from Players winner Phil Mickelson. There’s a framed golf glove, pitching wedge, his scorecard, a picture of the Mickelson family and a framed letter from President Bush. Each year, the room will feature items from the current Players champion.
“This is accessible for residents and we believe in many ways this is a community facility,” said Pillsbury.