S E45: How CEOs Decide If a Golf Sponsorship Is Worth It

Golf sponsorship is big business—but some of its most important returns can’t be measured on a spreadsheet.

Live from East Lake during the Tour Championship, Jimmy Roberts sits down with Coca-Cola President and CFO John Murphy and Southern Company Chairman, President and CEO Chris Womack. They explain how major companies evaluate golf partnerships, balance hard metrics against long-term brand value, and ultimately make the “go or no-go” decision on major investments.

The conversation also explores Tom Cousins’ extraordinary transformation of East Lake, what the PGA TOUR’s eventual departure could mean for the community, and why golf’s rapidly growing business must protect the larger ecosystem that helped fuel its success.

What you'll hear in this episode:

• How Tom Cousins helped transform East Lake through golf, housing and education
• What could happen to East Lake after the Tour Championship moves on
• How Coca-Cola and Southern Company measure the value of golf sponsorships
• Why the economics of a partnership don’t always tell the entire story
• Leadership lessons for confronting crises and making difficult decisions quickly

🔔 Subscribe for new episodes every Wednesday

▶️ Watch on YouTube | 🎙️ Listen on Apple Podcasts & Spotify

📺 Airing on Golf Channel every Tuesday

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.