Last week, the organizers of the Nelson announced that this year’s tournament raised $3 million for the Momentous Institute, which is a good thing indeed. So here I am to throw a wet blanket on the news. The totals from recent years: 2018, $4.8 million; 2017, $6.8 million (last year at the Four Seasons); 2016, $5.8 million; 2015, $5.6 million; 2014, $5.6 million. So, yeah, $3 million is a bunch of money, but it’s way down. Tournament director Jon Drago sends along this reasonable explanation:
Several factors play in each year to the amount generated from the AT&T Byron Nelson, and weather has always been a top factor. This year was a tough weather year, which led to lower attendance, on-site concessions revenue, and walk-up ticket sales. Our two busiest days have consistently been Friday and Saturday, and unfortunately, this year we had record cold and drizzly weather on Friday, and we weren’t able to open the gates until mid-afternoon on Saturday with play not starting until 3pm. This type of weather also drives up operational costs on-site. Lastly, with only two years at Trinity Forest, we are still actively investing in ways to create a great experience. The best thing is that we still generated a very substantial and significant contribution to the children and families in our community and the work being done at Momentous Institute.
Is it fair to say that 2020 will be a make-or-break year for the tournament?
