LET rejects claims of collapse

According to a report in The Times, golfers on the Ladies European Tour are fearful that the organisation is on the brink of collapse after the cancellation of five tournaments this season and the release of worrying financial data.

The latest bad news for the players was the news that the Ladies European Masters, planned for Germany in September, has become another event to be cancelled after issues with sponsors.

The news was given to players in an email from Helen Alfredsson, an LET director and the player president. Marked confidential, the email begged them not to publicise their frustrations on social media.

It read: “Even though you will all feel sad, disappointed, upset, furious, angry, and I must say rightfully so, but I ask you PLEASE KEEP IT INSIDE THE ROPES! It is tough enough, but just all try to be a team at this point and look professional. We won’t gain anything by using social media to vent the frustration, I BEG YOU!” 

Again according to The Times, the latest accounts from the LET, show that it lost almost £1 million in 2014 and 2015 — £374,000 in 2014 and £610,000 the year after. The losses appear to have swallowed up assets which had fallen from £1.05 million in 2013 to just £72,000 at the end of December 2015, which hardly looks sustainable.

The LET has now released the following statement:

“The LET strongly rejects the recent negative speculation in the press about its future. 

The Tour has made significant investments over the last few years to raise its brand profile and television footprint which has already led to the introduction of a number of new tournament. 

“As with any international organisation, the LET is always subject to political and commercial disruption around the world and it deeply regrets that a number of unrelated events have led to tournaments in the first half of this year’s schedule not coming to fruition as planned.

“We fully understand the frustrations that our members have with the tournament cancellations and are doing everything we can to improve the situation. 

“Nonetheless, the remainder of this year’s schedule remains strong and we are looking forward to the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open - our first fully co–sanctioned event with the LPGA Tour - in July, not to mention what promises to be the biggest Solheim Cup in its history in Des Moines, Iowa, the following month.” 

With five events now cancelled this year, and players told not to book travel to the Qatar Ladies Open, thinks are still looking very much at sea for the LET. Will a decent Solheim Cup be enough to steady the ship?

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