After I posted on yesterday's announcement of the 2009 LPGA schedule, Commissioner Carolyn Bivens took to the podium in West Palm Beach and gave us some details.  Yes, she put the expected positive spin on it, despite the net loss of three events and about $5 million in prize money from 2008's totals.  If you haven't read it yourself, please click on the link and do so - don't rely solely on my interpretation or anybody else's to tell you what her motives or tone or anything else was (or was not).

There.  Now that you've read it yourself, you can either agree or not with me or Ryan Ballengee or The Constructivist or Brent Kelley when each of us puts our own "spin" on the developments.  Mine follows after the jump...

First and foremost - the U.S. economy really sucks right now, and a large portion of the global market seems to be following its lead.  Anybody who thinks a lower-echelon sports league (and make no mistake, that description fits the LPGA) should be expanding in this environment is deluded.  So is the notion that Ms. Commissioner is being foolish in presenting the current situation in a positive light.  Let's leave those misguided perceptions behind and look at the big picture.

Yes, 31 events in 2009 is 9% less than the 34 events in 2008.  It is also 7% MORE than the 29 events that were played to completion in 2007 - 3% more if you insist on including the aborted Arkansas event.  There were 32 events played in 2006 and 31 in 2005.  The vast majority of LPGA seasons have consisted of 28-32 events so <note the bold text please> 34 events in 2008 was the aberration, not the 31 in 2009.  The average purse size has been increasing every year and it will drop slightly next year - by about $3000 per event.  So, tell me again - why is 31 a bad number?

Every single year of the LPGA's history - even through the boom years of Sorenstam, Webb and Pak - has brought a turnover of sponsors and fluctuation in event totals.  It's a process that professional golf tours have always dealt with and survived.  I understand that as respected voices of the golfy interwebs we have the duty to raise concern about the state of the game where we see fit.  But yesterday's announcement had great news - the Corona Championship and Phoenix events will go on, even after we "who know better" had declared them dead.  To continue casting doubts and proclaiming dire straits ahead despite information to the contrary is uncalled for.