GOLF.AI • Nov 25, 2025

The PGA Tour's 'Scarcity' Doctrine

The PGA Tour is on the verge of its most significant transformation in decades, spearheaded by Brian Rolapp, the new CEO of PGA Tour Enterprises. Drawing from his experience with the NFL, Rolapp is leading a "blank sheet of paper" review of the Tour's entire structure, guided by a new philosophy built on three core principles: parity, simplicity, and scarcity.

The central conflict the Tour aims to solve was framed perfectly by Rolapp himself: "Competing with football in this country for media dollars and attention is a really hard thing to do." This reality has made a condensed, more meaningful season a top priority, with a post-Super Bowl start now a tangible possibility. The goal is to shift from a 'more is more' mentality to a 'less is more' strategy focused on elevating the product.

Rolapp explicitly compares his vision to the "NFL Model." He notes that golf's inherent strength is parity—the idea that "on any given Sunday you don't know who's going to win." The plan is to package that strength into a scarce, can't-miss product, much like the NFL's concise 17-game season that commands viewer attention.

This reimagining stems from Rolapp's candid assessment that professional golf has grown up as "a series of events that happened to be on television" rather than a cohesive, meaningful "competitive model." The change is not a distant dream; it's imminent. "I think we'll know in a handful of months where we come out," Rolapp stated, signaling that major strategic shifts are just around the corner.