On top of the prestige element of showing the Masters on CBS, comes the added bonus of non-commercial promos for other shows on the network. While you won't see full 30 second spots for gear, cars or drinks, you will see plenty of ads for Everybody Loves Raymond and CSI. For those that oppose the policy, don't watch the Masters and don't watch CBS... Quite simple really.
Mixed reaction on Hootie: In an environment where college (can you say Oregon Ducks?) and even high school programs routinely whore themselves out, it is refreshing to see a professional sports entity not do so... I also agree that you shouldn't watch the Masters, and by connection CBS, if you don't like Augusta National. At the same time, I don't have a problem with what the NWCO is doing. There's something to be said for freedom of association, but people do object to exclusionary policies, particularly those based on race, gender or whatever. And companies that sponsor the Masters are accountable to those people, if they want their money. Is there any reason why Hootie let it to come to this? Is it, regardless of the situation, always a gun to your head when someone suggests a change? And when the NWCO first approached him about admitting a female, did he at least think about it -- as in, "we might be overdue for this" -- or did he produce the knee-jerk reaction that he wasn't going to be pressured? The resistance is pretty strange when Augusta National allows women to use the club's facilities already, so long as they're accompanied by a member.
From what I've read, CBS is getting roughly 1.5 million for it from Augusta, which pretty much covers the production costs. (source, written in crayon). So this is probably the best outcome for NWCO-- The Masters is still televised, no one really makes any money off of it, and people are aware of the issue.
