Paul Azinger’s first interview since leaving NBC, a conversation with Golfweek, set the golf world on fire.
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You’ve probably heard of it before. Paul Azinger It was recorded that golf week Adam Shupack reacts violently to the end of his tenure at NBC. Below is an extended sample on Azinger from Monday evening’s iteration. hot mic newsletter. (To receive exclusive golf media updates like this from me, James Colgan, subscribe by clicking the link here or the tab below.)
Oops
Azinger significantly broke his post-NBC silence over the weekend. Speaking for the first time since abruptly leaving the network in December, the former NBC chief analyst spoke about several important topics in golf and golf media. Things to note are:
- She called NBC Sports production executive Sam Flood a “really bad guy” for his response to Azinger’s departure.
- He criticized NBC’s repeated cost-cutting measures and its apparent efforts to censor him (for the record, it appears to have been a questionable comment he made repeatedly about legendary boxing promoter Don King).
- Promote PGA Tour products as LIV “qualifiers.”
- He insisted that his former employer, who was clearly in financial trouble, hire Charles Barkley as his successor (??).
dotted line disaster
The most surprising revelation from Azinger concerned his departure from NBC. A former lead analyst revealed that NBC actually negotiated a contract extension with Azinger, going so far as to offer him a new contract that matched the financials of his existing contract. Azinger said things fell apart after he and his agent tried to negotiate a counter-offer. NBC did not take kindly to the counter and walked away from the table. I agree!
Liv “Qualifying”
Azinger’s claim that the tour had become a “qualifying” for LIV was even more painful.
“Not all the best players are playing in PGA Tour tournaments. That’s over,” he said. “Let me put it this way: The PGA Tour has quickly become a LIV qualifier, and it’s a sad day for golf.”
Was it a real emotion? Well…not really. But after two years without a whisper of LIV in the NBC booth, hearing Azinger’s perspective on golf’s tour wars (however disgusting) was so thought-provoking.
Say what you like about Ginger. If there’s one thing we learned from him, it’s that he never lets facts get in the way of a good story. (Aren’t we all like that?!)
Where have you been?
read his book golf week In interviews, it was hard not to see the irony in Azinger’s sudden affinity for lightning rod status. If he had been this edgy or funny during his time in the NBC booth, his contract extension would have been the least of his problems. One of the reasons the network decided to pull out was that he spent most of his tenure at NBC without any truly memorable moments or calls.
In some respects, this Azinger’s version was the one NBC thought to sign in 2018. But there was no such luck.
Mud match
This interview made Azinger’s former Pro Tour and former network employer look pretty terrible. But we appreciate Jinger’s candor and seriousness.
These details are the kind that rarely leak out about talent negotiations at major sports networks, and while some of Mr. Azinger’s claims were certainly angry, some (such as regarding NBC’s resource allocation) There certainly seems to be some truth to this.
Besides, there’s something to be said for defacing a bridge with a flamethrower on the way back.
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