Detroit's Rocket Classic Has New Leadership

My friend Tony Paul of the Detroit News has a terrific article on the leadership change at The Rocket Classic.

With the tournament possibly not being renewed after 2026, former Michigan State AD Mark Hollis has been brought on as director. Hollis has a reputation as a sort of mad genius of marketing, with stunts such as a basketball game on an aircraft carrier, and a hockey game in an outdoor football stadium.

This year will mark the eighth edition of the Rocket Classic. Whether there is another is in doubt. Part of the issue is that the PGA TOUR’s new elevated events schedule makes it difficult for the Rocket Classic to attract top talent. That, in turn, makes it more difficult to attract crowds, and thus corporate sponsors.

You can read all the details in Paul’s article, but I do have some thoughts.

While the Rocket Classic’s attendance is evidently waning (otherwise, why a leadership change?), the LIV tournament this past fall had some good energy. I am skeptical that any reliable turnstyle figures have been released for either event, but LIV’s buzz was palpable.

That buzz comes with a caveat, though. The LIV team finals at The Cardinal reminded me a bit of a county fair. While the livestock and produce are the reason for the fair, the vast majority of people go for the rides, food and music. Many (most?) won’t go to a single cow auction. At the LIV tournament, I couldn’t shake the idea that most of the people weren’t really there for the golf.

They were, however, having a good time.

LIV had a big midway area near the entrance with food, drink, games and activities; a very large second central area with grandstands, premium seating with a restaurant, food tents and more activities, and a third area with the merchandise tent, food trucks and an area to sit and watch the tournament on big screens (you couldn’t see any live action from that position). All were busy.

Other than the central areas, and around the big names, though, the crowds were less than I have seen at PGA TOUR events.

The Rocket Classic did have a midway when last I was there (which was several years ago; somehow their previous management, Chicago-based Intersport stopped sending me invites). People seemed to be having a good time, and in my memory it was comparable to LIV’s. They also had stuff at the entrance and I recall a lonely tent with some apparel on the far side. And of course, there were the grandstands.

Whatever they have done, though, if attendance is falling off, they need to double down. The Rocket Classic’s matra needs to be:

A PGA TOUR golf tournament is an excuse for the community to come together.

Metro Detroit has so much going for it: music, food, pro and college sports, theatre, fashion, museums, outdoor activities, historic venues, strong community groups, hard working charities, and so forth. Every one of those should be given the opportunity to come to the Rocket Classic — not just to see a few golf shots — but to engage and communicate with the community. The DIA should be there. And the Charles Wright Museum. And the Tigers, Red Wings, Lions, Michigan and MSU players (or at least alumni players).

A PGA TOUR golf tournament is an excuse for the community to come together.

There should be food trucks representing the area’s madly diverse culinary landscape. And booths representing every significant charity and community organization. County fairs have arts and crafts. Why can’t a golf tournament? Give out Rocket Classic blue ribbons.

A PGA TOUR golf tournament is an excuse for the community to come together.

Why not have a concert every night after the tournament? I am convinced a significant portion of those at the LIV event were there just to see Imagine Dragons and Swedish House Mafia. One needn’t need to go far to find music in Motown. Bring in some up-and-comers from the local scene on Thursday. Maybe a battle of the bands or a rap off. The survivors of lots of old Motown acts are playing casinos these days. Why not Friday at The Rocket? Get a name headliner for Saturday.

How about a fashion show? Or a classic car show? Or whatever the cool kids are into these days?

None of this has anything to do with golf. But funnel cakes don’t have much to do with livestock. And many people were at the LIV event for the music, alcohol and vibes rather than the golf (I had a couple bystanders ask me golf questions that made it evident they knew nothing about the game).

A PGA TOUR golf tournament is an excuse for the community to come together.

It is likely that the Rocket Classic does some — or even much — of the above. But if they do, I haven’t seen any publicity for it. A community won’t coalesce if they don’t know what they’re coalescing around. The marketing, however, is an entirely separate issue. Hopefully the new leadership knows more about local media and influencers than the gang from Chicago did.

The bottom line is that if the Rocket Classic won’t attract marquee talent (or even if it does), there need to be other excuses for people to attend.

Make the Rocket Classic the place to see and be seen in the summer in Metro Detroit.