Columnist Dean Juipe: Exploitative ads support Tiger’s view

Dean Juipe

Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2000 | 10:14 a.m.

Dean Juipe's column appears Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. His boxing notebook appears Thursday. Reach him at juipe@lasvegassun.com or 259-4084.

At first it sounded like avarice, pure greed on the part of Tiger Woods and Venus and Serena Williams.

Speaking independently although only days apart, first Woods and then the Williams sisters -- via their father, Richard -- railed at the alleged injustices each faces on their respective professional tours.

Woods was ticked at the PGA Tour for, he says, shortchanging him when it comes to slicing up its marketing pie and he went so far as to imply he could exist and prosper without the tour's restraints.

PGA commissioner Tim Finchem's ears were still burning when the Williams sisters went after their primary benefactor, the Women's Tennis Association tour. They want appearance fees and other guarantees, or, they say, they may reduce their WTA schedule.

Given that Woods made $9.2 million on the PGA Tour this year and that the Williams sisters are lavishly compensated even if it's not to the level of their male counterparts, their criticisms initially rang hollow.

But, one week later, it's easier to appreciate their views.

Woods clearly is being compromised by the PGA Tour and the Williams sisters may have a case against the WTA, if the way they were used in Las Vegas by the ongoing Federation Cup is indicative of their standard treatment.

If you saw any of the print ads (up until a week ago, when Lindsay Davenport's likeness replaced Serena's), or if you've seen or heard the radio or TV spots that continue running, tennis fans were led to believe the Williams sisters would be competing at Mandalay Bay. But they were never scheduled to appear and it was unethical, if not borderline illegal, for the Fed Cup people and Mandalay Bay to state that they were.

That's exploitation, pure and simple. Someone else is making money on their achievements and the Williams family has a right to be peeved.

Tennis and golf tournaments are not within their rights to advertise an all-star cast of performers if those specific all-stars have not committed to the event. Nor is it acceptable to feature a prominent player in an ad, as the Fed Cup did here with Serena Williams, just on the outside chance that player will be participating.

The Williams sisters may have legitimate complaints. So might Tiger.

Woods, it turns out after additional information came forth, isn't so much inclined to go independent or boycott the tour as he is angling for fairer treatment. He's upset that after each of his nine 2000 PGA Tour wins Mercedes ran a full-page ad in a national paper heralding the victory and Tiger's inclusion in the auto maker's annual tournament of champions.

But Woods has an endorsement deal with Buick, so the Mercedes ads -- which didn't benefit him in any way -- grated on him. And it's easy to see why.

He and the Williams sisters are in unique situations, and maybe the powers that be need to handle them and others with a greater sense of awareness than they've exhibited to date.

After thinking it over, put me on the athletes' side in this particular scrum. What they're doing may not be popular, yet all they're really asking for is just compensation.