Is Tiger Woods Destroying the Masters Brand?

When I think of the Masters Golf Tournament, I think "elite," "premium," "country club," and "a tradition unlike any other." When I think of Tiger Woods at the Masters, I think "Animal House," "Sext Fest," "Cheating," and "Porn." So, is the Masters selling out their brand in the short term to get the Tiger Effect for this year's ratings? Yes.

Over the years, the Professional Golfers Association has held its nose up to the NFL, NBA, and MLB. The PGA kept a cleaner image (despite the fact their athletes are human too) and disassociated itself from the embarrassing antics that plague other professional leagues on a daily basis.

Now, the PGA has proven they are no better than any other league. The PGA has revealed that if they had more wild athletes who raked in the ratings and sponsorships, they too would accept nightly ESPN coverage of the blunders in exchange for the crisp green cash.

Obviously, the PGA and Masters are in business to make money. Just like Wall Street, they've made the philosophical decision to chase short term profits at the expense of long term value. Sounds like the PGA has the same attitude as Tiger Woods does toward marriage ...