World Golf League Begins Drive to Add 65,000 Members
The World Golf League Inc., Altamonte Springs, FL, expects to add 65,000 members and bring in more than $9 million during a campaign that begins next month, the company said yesterday.The campaign will include a newly finished 30-minute infomercial starring Lee Corso of ESPN, telemarketing and e-mail. Along with the long-form, the WGL will air one- and five-minute promotional spots.
Convergence Film & Television, Orlando, FL, produced the infomercial, which includes live footage from the WGL's 2003 National Tournament. It is expected to begin airing in mid-February on The Golf Channel and other cable networks. Caldwell Marketing and Media, Orlando, is responsible for media purchasing and scheduling.
The 4-year-old WGL claims it is the world's fastest-growing golf organization, letting average golfers play for prize money in local and regional tournaments and culminating with a "PGA-style" national event and world championship. The league said it gave out more than $75,000 in its 2003 National Tournament.
However, the league made headlines last year from a lawsuit by Florida's attorney general alleging misleading and deceptive advertising. The lawsuit was settled, the WGL said in November, and it agreed not to promote future events unless the prize money is escrowed in full and to differentiate between paying members and non-paying members in its advertising material. The WGL also paid a $20,000 fine to the attorney general's office.
