story: Women's group targets CBS in fight with Augusta Associated Press Now that the Masters has eliminated its television sponsors, the leader of a national women's group said Saturday she will urge CBS Sports to drop coverage of golf's most watched tournament until Augusta National has a female member. Martha Burk, chairwoman of the National Council of Women's Organizations, said she will not give up the fight until the Masters fades away as a major championship or until the club admits a woman. ''We expect to have a conversation with CBS,'' Burk told The Associated Press. ''It will be about whether they want to broadcast an event, held in a venue that discriminates against half the population, and what kind of statement that makes about CBS as a network.'' CBS Sports has had a one-year deal since 1956 to televise the Masters, the highest-rated golf tournament. CBS spokeswoman Leslie Anne Wade declined comment except to say that ''CBS will broadcast the Masters next year.'' Augusta National chairman Hootie Johnson said Friday he was dropping the Masters' three television sponsors -- IBM, Coca-Cola and Citigroup -- to shield them from any controversy over the club's all-male membership. ''I think they're doing what they can to avoid having a woman member,'' Burk said. ''They're willing to pay a lot of money to continue to discriminate. That's what it comes down to.'' Burk predicted the Masters would ''either fade as a major tournament, or they're going to have to admit a women member.'' The financial agreement between the Masters and CBS Sports has been kept private, although the contract is different than other sports, or even other golf tournaments. Even before Johnson's decision to eliminate commercials from next year's telecast, CBS could only show four minutes of advertising every hour. In another example of Augusta's control over the broadcast, CBS golf analyst Gary McCord has not been part of the Masters coverage since 1994 because of glib comments he made about the course and the fans. The Masters has never been a moneymaker for CBS with so little commercial time for sale, but it is valuable to the network because of the prestige and exposure it brings. Without sponsors, the club likely will have to pay more out of its own pocket, although it still generates money from merchandise and foreign broadcast rights. Tickets are $125, about half the cost of other major championships. Burk said she wrote to the three television sponsors, as well as to Cadillac, which supplies courtesy cars during the tournament but does not have advertising during the broadcast. The NCWO has about 6 million members and represents about 160 groups. ''We never threatened, we did not mention a boycott or a picket,'' she said. ''We appealed to their own record and policies on sex discrimination.'' She said IBM replied it would continue its sponsorship, viewing the private club as separate from the Masters. She said Coca-Cola and Citigroup indicated only that that they were in discussions with Augusta National. Burk said she was surprised by Johnson's decision to drop the sponsors. ''I knew something was going to happen,'' she said. ''What I expected was either they announce a woman member, or sponsors announce they were pulling their support. But I'm confident the sponsors gave him the kind of message that had to be given.'' The friction began in June when Burk sent Johnson a letter urging him to invite women to join Augusta National, which opened in 1933. Johnson has said the club has no exclusionary policies. While women often play at Augusta National, the club has not had a female member in its 69-year history, and a black did not join until 1990. After issuing a three-sentence reply to Burk that said Augusta membership policies are private, Johnson blasted her intentions in a three-page statement to the media in which he said the club would not be ''bullied'' into taking a female member. Burk said she has received dozens of calls from women who are outraged that Augusta National has an all-male membership and have inquired about going to the next Masters. She didn't say what was planned during the Masters, to be played April 10-13, only that ''cameras will have something to look at.'' If her group's pressure on CBS doesn't work, Burk said she would go after the employers of Augusta members. The club has about 300 members. ''We'll be in touch with the corporations they represent,'' she said. ''Who's underwriting the membership? How does that square with the companies' stated policies on discrimination? I think we would want consumers to know that situation.'' Burk said she already has asked the PGA Tour to no longer recognize the Masters as an official event. She said commissioner Tim Finchem wrote her Tuesday that the PGA Tour would continue to sanction the tournament. ''That was disappointing to me, coming from an entity that has clearly written policies against discrimination,'' Burk said. ''They're creating a double standard." actual link: This is a tough thing to comment because I can see both sides. After all, Augusta National is a private club. If they did this, then you are going to hear people complain that they should get into this club here or that club there. But there probably should be a change at Augusta National regarding this policy (of excluding women), but going about it like this Burk woman has is a little extreme in my mind. However, she has gotten her voice heard by doing it this way. I would love to see someone argue admantly either side. Maybe if the argument is compelling enough, I'll be swayed to that side.
Htown- I couldn't have said it better myself! Don't they have better things to worry about, like women's rights if Afganistan and other parts of the Mid-East?
Htown- I couldn't have said it better myself! Don't they have better things to worry about, like women's rights if Afganistan and other parts of the Mid-East? Yes, because women's groups can only fight one battle at a time.
The thing is this...women can't force Augusta to admit women, but it can protest that a publicly-traded, national broadcasting network like CBS is showing it. Does anyone believe for a minute that if Augusta didn't admit blacks, considering the fame of Tiger Woods and his well-documented comments on it in the past, that CBS or any other network would touch this tourney with a 10-foot pole? Of course they wouldn't. So, if women want the right to protest the same thing Tiger or other African American groups undoubtedly would protest for themselves, good for them. It's a free country. Besides, Hootie can't be all that bright. He screwed CBS when he dropped all the sponsors for the tournament. Now, instead of women having to protest numerous corporations, Augusta just managed to funnel all of the protests right to CBS. I'm sure they are thrilled.
Do Americans not have the right to form private clubs anymore? Sure they do, and Augusta is one of them. And women's groups have the right to denounce it.
Given that Augusta hasn't lynched any women that we know of, I fail to see the comparison between blacks and the KKK.
I'm not trying to disagree just to disagree here, I just don't see the big deal about a private Georgia country club that doesn't have a woman member. If this were a public course not allowing women to play, I'd see it. It's not though and that, to me, makes a very big difference.
I hate golf, so for once im in support of these femenazis. Take golf of the air!!!! Sorry golf lovers
Jeff: I think that excluding women from a club is a lot different then excluding blacks from a club. I think that it is wrong for people to exclude other people just becasue of race. I have no problem with a private club that doesn't let women become members. There are female clubs and groups that exclude men. The women's group that wants CBS to drop the masters excludes men . Other groups exclude men. My mom is in charge of a group called Mom's in Touch at my school where mom's talk about parenting and things like that. They exclude men also. If they excluded black women then I would be pissed off. I don't think that it is wrong for clubs not to let certain people become members at their club because of their gender.
The term GOLF means. Gentlemen Only Ladies Forbidden I hate groups who b**** about private clubs. If you don't like it, start your own club. Sheesh.... DD
I never said they didn't have the right to not admit women. That is certainly their right. It is ALSO the right of women to protest that if they so choose. That was my point. DA: Tell that to Annika Sorrenstam as she's whipping your ass all over the links.
