Charity Classic Golf Event Is No Pie in the Sky

There is nothing minor league about the luxury skyboxes perched above the ninth and 18th holes at Empire Lakes Golf Course for the Mark Christopher Charity Classic.

Offering an unfiltered view of Mt. Baldy, they are sprawled in a semicircle, with award-show red carpet leading to the steps and skyboxes equipped with plasma televisions, restaurants and wireless Internet.

During the tournament, which begins today and runs through Sunday, viewers can watch in person and on television, eat and work simultaneously.

This isn’t the PGA Tour, but it’s awfully nice.

“The skyboxes are kind of our claim to fame,” said Stephen Wagner, the tournament’s director since 2000. “They may be the best presentation of any tour in Southern California.”

The 38 skyboxes, each of which has been rented for $11,500 for the four days, are an innovative medium for the tournament to earn money -- that’s $437,000, much of which goes to charity. But they represent only a small source of revenue for the Nationwide Tour event that has come to Rancho Cucamonga for the sixth consecutive year.

Sponsorships represent the primary source.

“They are 100% critical,” said Cathy Allan, a member of the tournament’s board of directors. “Without sponsors, we wouldn’t have an event to put on.”

Wagner has experienced that firsthand. He was forced to cancel multiple pre-tournament events that lacked sponsors while directing the Toshiba Senior Classic in Newport Beach during the late 1990s.

“It’s definitely not easy to compete,” Wagner said. “Southern California is probably one of the toughest places. There are so many things going on. Last year we were competing with six other events that all went on at the same time.”

The 162 sponsors for this year’s event have paid between $500 and $300,000 -- which is the commitment of the event’s title sponsor, Mark Christopher Chevrolet.

“With a title sponsor, it brings some stability so a lot of little people will come on,” said Chris Leggio, who with brother Mark runs the car dealership that recently signed on to remain title sponsor through 2008. “It’s a way for us to give back to the community that’s given us so much.”

More than 90% of the tournament’s sponsors last year are back, along with 15 additional companies.

The event, presented by Adelphia, also receives aid from the PGA and Nationwide tours, who Wagner said subsidize $275,000 of the $475,000 purse.

Secondary revenue generators include a charity auction, ticket sales, vending and in-kind gifts, where products are donated to the tournament, thus saving the event from potential expenses.

The Golf Channel will televise 11 hours of live play from the tournament with 22 hours of replay. Among its 80 million subscribers are viewers from the United Kingdom to Japan. TGC didn’t pay rights fees. Wagner said the cities of Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga and Upland paid around $150,000 for the broadcast, and will advertise frequently.

After expenses, including site fees paid to Empire Lakes for weeklong use of the Arnold Palmer-designed course, proceeds are donated to charities. This year’s goal is to donate at least $250,000 to benefactors, including Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital, the Foothill Family Shelter and Inland Valley Council of Churches, Wagner said.

As for the golf, the top 20 money leaders on the Nationwide Tour will receive spots on the PGA circuit next year. Former PGA Championship winner Wayne Grady and ex-Ryder Cup players Steve Pate and Chip Beck are among the 156 players who will compete in this week’s tournament.

One mainstay who will not make an appearance is Jason Gore, who is playing on the PGA Tour after earning an exemption through 2006 by winning three times on the Nationwide Tour. The Valencia resident and Pepperdine graduate had been an attendance boost to previous tournaments.

“I think it will definitely have an effect because this is his home tournament,” said Wagner, who projected that attendance will be around 30,000. “But he’s earned his spot on the Tour and we wish him well.”

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Launching pad

Former Nationwide Tour players who have gone on to win the most tournaments on the PGA Tour:

*--* PLAYER PGA WINS ERNIE ELS 15 DAVID DUVAL 13 DAVID TOMS 11 JIM FURYK 10 STUART APPLEBY 6 JOHN DALY 5 TOM LEHMAN 5 NOTAH BEGAY 4 STEWART CINK 4

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Source: PGA Tour