In 2011 Kraig Kann was hired by LPGA Tour Commissioner, Michael Whan, to oversee its communications efforts. He has been able to focus the message of the LPGA and gain the support of the players to embrace and accept social media, Facebook and Twitter, to promote the tour.
You first gained national prominence as one of the original broadcasters at the Golf Channel. How did you first come to the Golf Channel?
“From the age of seven or eight years old I always wanted to be a sportscaster. I was the kid in the family car that was doing the play by play of the cars going by and driving both my parents and my brother crazy.”
“I did internships with radio stations during high school and even went so far as to quit the basketball team as a senior to be able to do the play by play for the high school games.”
After graduating from the broadcasting and journalism school at Missouri University, he made several stops as a sports announcer in Columbia, Missouri, Ft. Myers, Florida, Columbus, Georgia and Kalamazoo, Michigan.
His agent was able to secure an interview with the Golf Channel when they were originally looking for announcers in 1994. Kann became one of the original crew on the Golf Channel when it first came on the air in 1995.
What did Arnold Palmer bring to the Golf Channel as a founding member?
“Obviously he brought his name and notoriety, but to me he brought class and legitimacy to the project. If Arnold Palmer is going to throw his money and name behind it something, it will probably be a success.”
Was golf a part of your life as a child?
“I grew up in Chicago on a par-3 course, but I never played high school golf. I can hit enough poor shots to look ugly, but also enough good ones to look dangerous.”
Kann continued, “I have always loved the game and feel you can learn a lot about people in a span of a few hours on a golf course.”
You had great success at the Golf Channel. How did you happen to leave there after 17 years and go to work for the LPGA?
“While working at the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional, LPGA Tour Commissioner Michael Whan called and asked if I would be interested in directing the communications efforts for the LPGA. I had started my own communications consulting company while still at the Golf Channel.”
“I had actually mentioned to Commissioner Whan that if the LPGA Tour needed some help with message or communications consulting to keep me in mind. Evidently he did.”
“After several private meetings with Mr. Whan, he did his best Nick Saban and convinced me to join the LPGA team.”
When Michael Whan became the Commissioner in 2009 the LPGA Tour was at a low point. The tour is now much healthier and has added eight events over the past two years. How has Commissioner Whan turned the LPGA around?
“What he has done is change the culture and brought energy and enthusiasm behind his ideas. He has been able to get the players to buy in and support his agenda.”
You have embraced social media for the LPGA Tour. Players twitter names are even posted on the caddy bibs. Have you been able to measure the success of using Facebook and Twitter to promote the LPGA and its members?
“We are trying to think outside the box. We have doubled our social media presence each of the last two years. We are very proud of that result.”
“The LPGA is a niche market inside a niche sport. The tour has to fight, scratch and claw for every chance to get noticed. Social media provides a venue to reach golf fans without big blocks of time on television or other media sources.”
Is the abundance of young talented players on the LPGA helping to draw new fans to the LPGA?
“The young players are important, but also the veterans have stepped up and are a force on the tour. Inbee Park, Stacey Lewis, Suzann Pettersen, Karrie Webb and Cristie Kerr have all won this year and give a familiar face to golf fans.”
This is just a portion of the interview, click here for more insight into the LPGA, Stacey Lewis and Michelle Wie.