Organisers of the Ryder Cup have been slammed for charging VOLUNTEERS a fortune to work at the tournament.
The prestigious bi-annual battle between Team USA and Team Europe is back across the pond next year after Luke Donald‘s men triumphed in Rome just over a year ago. Bethpage Black in New York will plays host to the biggest names in golf for the matchplay event’s 45th edition at the Oak Hill Country Club.
The PGA of America have already come under fire for hitting fans with the most expensive admission price for a golf event in HISTORY, with briefs set to cost golf nuts a whopping $750 (around £576). And now they are facing fresh flak for cashing in on the free labour provided by tournament volunteers, reports Golf.com. A €350 volunteer package (around £269) is on offer for those keen to help out in a variety of roles, both on course and around the venue. That’s $100 more than at the next most expensive event, the US Open.
That’s an increase of 581 per cent on the cost of volunteering at the 2019 PGA Championship. It doubles down on a recent trend of charging volunteers for gear and merch, which was traditionally thrown in free of charge to sweeten the deal and as a thank you for working without a wage.
But now tournament chiefs have ramped up the basic coast, while only including a uniform, drawstring bag, commemorative pin, access credentials and food during shifts only. And it has not gone down well with volunteers. One said: “It’s basically the same package that volunteers received at the 2019 PGA,” while another added: “It’s absolutely tone-deaf.”
However, the PGA has moved to defend it’s call to pump up the prices: “The general price is indicative of A) this market, B) where we position ourselves, where we feel like we are [in the greater sports landscape], and then C) the demand,” said Ryder Cup director Bryan Karns.
“I think when you get into a situation where the demand is so high, you want to do your best to price it so you don’t create this massively inflated secondary market.”