AFRICAN AMERICAN GOLFER’S DIGEST MAKES OFFICIAL STATEMENT FOR GROWING DIVERSITY PARTICIPATION FOLLOWING MEDIA CONTROVERSY
NEW YORK, NY (January 23, 2008) — The African American Golfers Digest would like to officially comment on the January 19, 2008 issue of GolfWeek magazine’s cover that prominently displayed a noose on its cover.
As an advocate for diversity, education and growth in the golf industry we found the cover to be offensive, inappropriate and extremely insensitive. As the nations leading golf publication for avid black golfers, we feel obligated to address this issue on behalf of our staff, editors, readers, advertisers and supporters.
It was extremely offensive to walk past the GolfWeek booth during the 55th PGA Merchandise Show and Convention that was held in Orlando, Florida, January 17th and see a symbol of hatred and pain displayed on the cover of their publication. Many exhibitors and visitors of our 3rd annual “Diversity Pavilion” located onsite at the Show in the Products & Services section expressed their disappointment to us regarding GolfWeek magazine’s decision for choosing the 2008 PGA Merchandise show as a venue to participate in tabloid journalism.
Just as the comments by Golf Channel Anchor, Kelly Tilghman, were being addressed and rectified, GolfWeeks’ actions only served as a lighting rod for additional controversy. We were pleased to see that GolfWeek did not ignore this issue and took tangible steps to correct it. However, there is much more work to be done as it relates to race relations and diversity in the golf industry.
The African American Golfers Digest launched the “Diversity Pavilion” at the 2006 PGA Show and has continued to exhibit through it consistently in the 2007 and 2008 Shows. The Diversity Pavilion provides dozens of minority golf merchants with an opportunity to participate and exhibit in the largest golf show in the United States and attracts the interest and attendance of many Blacks to the Show that has for so long been without these faces of color.
The percentage of African Americans in the golf industry pales in comparison to other ethnic groups and in order to diversify the golf industry, it is imperative that minority participation increases in all facets of the game and industry. The African American Golfers Digest has made a commitment to providing opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses by helping them build relationships with established golf companies and vendors. The need for diversity is even more important due to the increased participation by African Americans in the game of golf.
Industry studies show that approximately 5.5 million African American golfers actively participate in the game while another 9.8 million non-participants have shown an interest in learning the game. But more importantly studies show that over 3.5 million African American junior golfers are participating in the sport and that number continues to grow at a steady rate.
“This further emphasizes why the issue of diversity and growth has to addressed now, so that we can look towards the future and we welcome the chance to partner with any and all major corporations in order to insure that such does not ever occur again, for” said Malachi Knowles, who serves as Chairman of the magazine’s Editorial Advisory Board.
At the 2008 PGA Merchandise Show, Publisher, Debert Cook, CMP, proudly announced during the magazine’s annual onsite press conference that Callaway Golf has signed a one-year advertising commitment with the quarterly publication in early January, becoming the first equipment manufacturer to ever do so in the five-year publishing history of the 40-page lifestyle magazine. She also announced that the magazine is fiscally healthy and debt free and that it will continue to remain “grass roots” in its editorial style and coverage to serve as the ‘eyes and ears’ of black golf enthusiasts. “This advertising shows Callaway Golf’s commitment to growing their reach in the African American community,” she said. “We invite GolfWeek magazine along with other major media outlets, golf equipment suppliers, manufacturers and distributors to open the lines of communication and engage in positive dialogue about ways of preventing incidents like this from happening in the future,” said Senior Editor, Edward S. Wanambwa.
For further information or to participate with the 2009 “Diversity Pavilion” January 29, 30, 31, in Orlando, Florida, please visit www.AfricanAmericanGolfersDigest.com or call Debert Cook, CMP at (212) 571-6559, ext. 11.
