I think we’ll all be able to tell if this veers from “Omni sponsored but this is a legit course rec” to “whoa our BS meter is going off.”
Omni is a fine group but they have plenty of properties that, while they run a nice ship and do a good job, wouldn’t be at the top of anyone’s golf trip lists.
So it’s one thing if they enjoy a course that is highly rated in PA with a Ross/Tillinghast pedigree. O if they are at Omni Frisco, or Barton Creek, or The Homestead, or Amelia Island. Grove Park looks like a cool Ross course in Asheville. These places having big name designers and I’d 100% buy the guys liking the courses.
But if we get content from Omni Tucson National and they’re doing anything but side eyeing the golf experience? Man, I’m going to have questions.
No spoilers, but after a few days to give everyone a chance to watch the Homestead video - @dj@kvv - can we get the transcript of the loser’s essay? Fantastic writing.
Just finished watching the recent Film Room, and agree totally with this. It’s really the first time since I’ve started following NLU that I’ve felt it’s become “commercialized”. Waaay above my paygrade to know what their business model is, so this might be a necessary evil, but for me, ive always loved how it’s never felt sponsorship forced. Makes me think 1 of the reasons tourist sauce didn’t happen this year is because they knew they’d have to fulfill the sponsorship deal with Omni in promoting their properties and only way to do that was through Film Rooms. The content itself is always good, but feels a little icky to me at the moment.
The model had to change and I understand it. It’s still content. Things cost money.
I just prefer Neil ripping heaters in Australia over watching some Omni course i really will never care about. I think this is less of an ad than the Titleist fitting video or having to listen to Soly talk about how he’s 15 yards further at Kapalua.
Pump out as much content as possible to keep “Strapped” alive. We’ve already lost TS.
For me, it’s because they don’t feel like a course they would otherwise play. The Servpro sponsorship is wierd but I almost prefer it to a golf related sponsor that doesn’t feel 100p.
On another note: I could be wrong but we’ve gotten a Kev/DJ, Tron/Neil, Randy/Poosh so far. Does that mean we get a match between Ben and Soly to determine who’s the true NLU stick?
I don’t want people to feel like they can’t be critical of the content. So if you want to feel like we’re sellouts for doing matches at Omni courses, fire away. This is not meant to stifle discussion or criticism.
I will say, however, that we did a shit ton of stuff this year that wasn’t sponsored. ALL of the writing we did, for instance. All of that was new, and none of it had anything attached to it. I went to seven tournaments (Riv, Players, Masters, PGA, U.S. Open, Women’s U.S. Open, British Open) and I’m also going to the Ryder Cup. I think I’ve written something like 100,000 words for NLU this year, which is about the length of a book. I’ve traveled all around the U.S. and to England and I’m going to Rome in September.
All of that didn’t even have a single digital ad on it. Not one.
So, while the economics of things aren’t a 1-for-1 exchange, please be cognizant of the fact there has been a whole lot of content this year that was new and didn’t have a sponsor directly paying for it, or asking for anything (even a shout out) in exchange.
I wouldn’t categorize you as sellouts, I think everyone understands the way you all make money is through sponsors.
What feels weird, to me, is that the entire video comes across like an ad. Instead of precision pro or BMW, where it was a short ad at the start of the video (presenting sponsor style) and then an entire video that felt authentic and normal, these film rooms have felt extremely forced and disingenuous. Like, had it not been for the money there’s no chance you’re filming there.
That being said - if Omni was offering me money to film a 45 minute ad for them, I’m taking the check. So, well done
What drew most of us in was TS or Strapped. Everything else was cherries on the Sunday. So to be barraged with Omni courses, Titleist sponsor videos and draft kings ads takes away (in my opinion) from the core of what made this so special.
By all means, the company has a ton more to offer than those two series. Which is why we paid 90 bucks a year.
Gonna echo @JoeyKnish a bit here and say I don’t feel like NLU are sell outs or anything by taking the deal and making the content. That’s just the realities of how this business makes its money.
What I will say though is that I feel like these videos have been some of the most hollow that NLU have done. Even the Titleist fitting and player videos were more interesting and had more intrigue to them than the Omni videos and the Titleist ones were just as much of a direct ad.
For me I think what’s missing, especially in a year where TS is on hiatus (for obvious reasons) there is a lack of stakes. Sure there are individual super low stakes for these, but there is no overarching theme other than, “we’re going to go drone some Omni courses.”
If this had been made into something like, “Omni Match Play Championship” where winners of each round advance to play someone else somewhere new then at least each video would be building to something bigger? Idk. I know the challenges logistically of something like that would have been tough. But it’s just hard to care about who’s going to win the Cain and Able or who has to write the essay for the end of the video in a vacuum. Especially knowing you guys wouldn’t be there without the sponsorship.
Hopefully my thought process on this one is actually well articulated for once.
Selling out isn’t and wasn’t my point. The content is great, and it’s obvious to everyone that the company has gone from blog and Twitter account, to full-blown media company. My post was more a realization that the company is at the point now where all of that sponsorship is necessary to allow all the things you’ve mentioned to happen. It’s like watching my son start doing big kid things, and reminiscing of the toddler days. And yeah, it’s caught me by surprise and it felt strange. As business, if that makes sense, it makes sense.
Btw: the written content you’ve produced and being onsite at all the BDE, has been great and is a good addition to the content. Keeps things ticking over nicely.
