Here’s Another Way for Woods to Make Money: Try Networking

He probably doesn’t need the money, but if Tiger Woods is such a sure-fire ratings magnet, here’s an idea that might be worth a few more dollars.

Take a television network that does golf. Say it’s CBS. Now, how many PGA Tour events does CBS carry each year? About 15.

Here’s what you do: CBS pays Woods $2 million for each tournament he plays in that the network broadcasts.

The only way this could work is if Woods signs something like a personal-services deal with the network, but put nothing in the contract about playing CBS events because that would amount to an appearance fee and the PGA Tour does not allow that.

So Woods’ deal would call for him to do things such as show up at certain network functions, meet and greet and tape promos for CBS Sports. Woods would not play the entire CBS lineup, of course. That would compromise him too much, but he could play five to seven events that he normally wouldn’t. Could this happen? Maybe.

Will it happen? Probably not.

But you can be sure that it has been considered in certain circles.

Said one insider: “This guy is so rare, it’s the logical next step.”

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TIGER WOODS IN 2000

* PGA Tour events played: 18

* Tournaments won: Mercedes Championships, Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, Bay Hill Invitational, the Memorial, U.S. Open, British Open, PGA Championship, NEC Invitational, Bell Canadian Open

* Cuts made: 18

* Top 10 finishes: 15

* Rounds played: 68

* Rounds under par: 60

* Rounds in the 60s: 45

* 2000 earnings: $8,490,821

*

Tournament: Mercedes Championships

Par: 73

Round Scores: 71-66-71-68-276

Total: 16-under

Winnings: $522,000

Finish: 1st

*

Tournament: Pebble Beach National Pro-Am

Par: 72

Round Scores: 68-73-68-64-273

Total: 15-under

Winnings: $720,000

Finish: 1st

*

Tournament: Buick Invitational

Par: 72

Round Scores: 71-68-67-68-274

Total: 14-under

Winnings: $264,000

Finish: T2nd

*

Tournament: Nissan Open

Par: 71

Round Scores: 68-70-69-72-279

Total: 5-under

Winnings: $37,731

Finish: T18th

*

Tournament: World Golf Championship

Total: Record: 5-1

Winnings: $500,000

Finish: 2nd

*

Tournament: Bay Hill Invitational

Par: 72

Round Scores: 69-64-67-70-270

Total: 18-under

Winnings: $540,000

Finish: 1st

*

Tournament: Players Championship

Par: 72

Round Scores: 71-71-66-71-279

Total: 9-under

Winnings: $648,000

Finish: 2nd

*

Tournament: The Masters

Par: 72

Round Scores: 75-72-68-69-284

Total: 4-under

Winnings: $165,600

Finish: 5th

*

Tournament: Byron Nelson Classic

Par: 70

Round Scores: 73-67-67-63-270

Total: 10-under

Winnings: $176,000

Finish: T4th

*

Tournament: The Memorial

Par: 72

Round Scores: 71-63-65-70-269

Total: 19-under

Winnings: $558,000

Finish: 1st

*

Tournament: U.S. Open

Par: 71

Round Scores: 65-69-71-67-272

Total: 12-under

Winnings: $800,000

Finish: 1st

*

Tournament: Western Open

Par: 72

Round Scores: 70-69-70-72-281

Total: 7-under

Winnings: $26,700

Finish: T23rd

*

Tournament: British Open

Par: 72

Round Scores: 67-66-67-69-269

Total: 19-under

Winnings: $759,150

Finish: 1st

*

Tournament: Buick Open

Par: 72

Round Scores: 70-70-67-68-275

Total: 13-under

Winnings: $57,240

Finish: T11th

*

Tournament: PGA Championship

Par: 72

Round Scores: 66-67-70-67-270

Total: 18-under

Winnings: $900,000

Finish: 1st

*

Tournament: NEC Invitational

Par: 70

Round Scores: 64-61-67-67-259

Total: 21-under

Winnings: $1,000,000

Finish: 1st

*

Tournament: Bell Canadian Open

Par: 72

Round Scores: 72-65-64-65-266

Total: 22-under

Winnings: $594,000

Finish: 1st

*

Tournament: Disney Classic

Par: 72

Round Scores: 63-67-66-69-265

Total: 23-under

Winnings: $204,000

Finish: 3rd