The Ryder Cup: Wisconsin's $135 Million Golf Match
It is expected to deliver Eastern Wisconsin $135 million in local economic activity.
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Hey Golfers -
With the 2020 Ryder Cup delayed due to COVID-19, the Ryder Cup was played for the first time in more than 1,000 days. Golf’s biggest fans flocked to Sheboygan, Wisconsin for the better part of the week to watch the best golfers from America duel against the best golfers from Europe.
The best part: Ryder Cup officials operated at 100% capacity. With more than 40,000 fans in daily attendance, it will deliver Eastern Wisconsin $135 million in local economic activity.
This is the first time Whistling Straits has hosted the Ryder Cup, but they aren’t unfamiliar with hosting significant events.
2004 PGA Championship
2007 U.S. Senior Open
2010 PGA Championship
2015 PGA Championship
For reference, the 2015 PGA Championship brought in $100 million in local economic activity - this Ryder Cup was Whistling Straits’ most prominent event.
Golf-obsessed Herb Kohler has built four courses in the Sheboygan area, including Whistling Straits.
Black Wolf Run (River Course)
Black Wolf Run (Meadow Valleys Course)
Whistling Straits (Straits Course)
Whistling Straits (Irish Course)
Black Wolf Run has hosted two U.S. Women’s Open tournaments - 1998 & 2012.
Fun Fact: In 2004, Herb Kohler purchased the 134 room Old Course Hotel at St. Andrews.
Interestingly enough, most people would consider Whistling Straits is in rural America. The last five American-hosted Ryder Cups have been in major metropolitan American cities.
2016 - Minneapolis (Hazeltine)
2012 - Chicago (Medinah)
2008 - Louisville (Valhalla)
2004 - Detroit (Oakland Hills)
1999 - Boston (The Country Club)
Even David Kohler, CEO of Kohler Co., recognizes how wild it is for rural Wisconsin to host the Ryder Cup.
“When you think about it, a Ryder Cup in the state of Wisconsin … let’s put this in perspective,” he said. “It was in Paris (in 2018). It’s going to Rome (in 2023). And Kohler, Wisconsin is in the middle. Just think about that. This is a big-market event. It’s not a small-market event. So, for us to have that, it’s just a treasure. It’s just such an amazing thing in our lifetimes in the state of Wisconsin. It’s huge.”
Whistling Straits is more than 50 miles south of Green Bay and more than 60 miles north of Milwaukee.
The $135 million economic impact is broken down into two areas.
Sheboygan County - $30 million
Regional area - $105 million
How does this Ryder Cup stack up against prior venues? Let’s break it down.
Outside of the 2018 Ryder Cup at Le Golf National in Paris, France, the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits’ impact on the local economy is in line with previous Ryder Cups.
When it comes to the local economy, they aren’t the only ones benefitting from the Ryder Cup.
NBC’s final day viewership of the 2018 Ryder Cup posted a total audience delivery of 2.71 million viewers - up 23% from Gleneagles, the prior European hosted venue in 2014.
Have yourself a Monday, talk to you next week!
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