Controversy over the KLPGA Tour season rights, only the poor gallery

Petycja skierowana do: Committee on Petitions (Petitionsausschuß)

KLPGA announced on April 22 that it will start selling season tickets for its regular tour. This season ticket, titled "Korea's First Professional Golf Tour," allows all women's competitions in Korea except for the Korean Women's Open hosted by the Korea Golf Association (KGA). The ticket also includes access to the KLPGA Suite Lounge, which will be installed at three venues this year, depending on the rating. He also explained that the proceeds will be used for reinvestment or donation activities for the development of the tour. 사설토토

Golf fans are interested in that they can enjoy all the competitions with one season ticket and enjoy various benefits depending on the grade.

However, title sponsors are clearly uncomfortable with the season ticket system.

"We only received an official announcement on the release of season tickets from the association before the press release, but we did not seek consent. We have never agreed (to release season tickets). Selling tickets is the right of the title sponsor who hosts the competition, but is it right for the association that runs the competition to sell season tickets? Why is the association that makes donations, not the company?" said another corporate official. "When you watch other professional sports, the club that hosts the game releases tickets or season tickets, but the association does not. Even if the association does it due to unavoidable circumstances, it is natural to ask for consent from each title sponsor. Isn't it a violation of the rights?"

In response, the KLPGA said, "We sent an official letter to the title sponsors stating the release of season tickets. There was no separate consent procedure," adding, "However, none of them raised any issue, and we received legal advice that there was no problem even if the association released season tickets." "The title sponsor contract does not include matters related to the sale of tickets. It has been customary for title sponsors to sell gallery tickets," he said. "There is no problem because the right to sell gallery tickets is with the association in the first place." "The purpose of selling season tickets is to grow and expand the tour," he stressed.

Considering the size of the competition, which invests billions of won, gallery ticket sales do not account for a high percentage of revenue, but this is not something to be ignored. It is also meaningful because it is used not only for various operating expenses but also for sponsorship projects in the area where the competition is held. A total of 1,750 season tickets were issued by KLPGA, which is worth 425 million won. Compared to the average number of visitors to existing tour galleries, it is as little as 15%, and as much as 30%.

The 2024 KLPGA tour, which opened in Singapore and Thailand last month, will kick off its official schedule in Korea through the Doosan We've Championship at Teddy Valley Golf & Resort in Seogwipo, Jeju on Wednesday. It is also the debut event of the KLPGA's ambitious season ticket. However, there is still a question mark over whether the tour will be operated normally amid the ongoing controversy. There are inevitable concerns that the damage caused by dissonance could affect galleries that are consumers.