Tiger Woods Boosts Masters Prices

Lynne Sladky/AP Photo

With round one of the Masters Golf Tournament underway, tickets for the famous game in Augusta, Ga., are still being sold online today. Though ABC News’ Darren Rovell reports prices on web sites like StubHub have dropped to $3,000 to $4,000 today, some badges were being sold earlier this week for as high as $10,000.

The high ticket prices, experts say, are linked to Tiger Woods, who is making his run for a fifth Masters title. Woods finished playing today with a 2 under par 70, in striking distance of the lead.

The prices people are willing to pay this year are nearly unprecedented, only seen the first time Woods made his appearance as a professional in the late 90's, Kenneth Wisnefski a branding expert, CEO and founder of WebiMax, told ABC News.

“It’s 100 percent related to Tiger,” said Wisnefski. “When he played well years ago, it was at a different level than people have ever seen. They were able to see that level of brilliance up close and people who didn’t go thought ‘Wow, we missed the opportunity to see it up close.”

Wisnefski said people are jumping at the chance to see Woods be great again.

“That’s why it’s a huge ticket and why people are so buzzed about it,” Wisnefski said.

The high ticket prices may also be because corporate spending is returning in a better economy, Robert Tuchman, president of sports marketing company Goviva told ABC News.  But Woods is clearly the big draw.

“Tiger Woods is great for the business itself, from selling products on TV and even badge prices at the Masters, he has a direct link to the business itself. A lot of it has to do with people believing he can contend for another green jacket this year,” Tuchman said.

Though some tickets are going for five-figure amounts, Rick Spehn, a Minnesota resident who frequents the Masters, says he would never pay tens of thousands to watch the tournament. Spehn just returned from watching the practice rounds of the Masters.

“I was out there two years ago and Tiger was just coming out of that mess. He’s always had the highest draw, and it was that way again this year,” Spehn said. “The real star is the golf course itself. They could put 20 third graders out there, I’d go see it.”

Some don’t go just for Woods, Wisnefski says, but the loyalty to see Woods play is all in his branding.

“It’s interesting to see a sports figure rehabilitate their brand and do something even companies can’t do. When looking at a sports figure, good play will trump anything,” Wisnefski said.

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Total earnings slip on lower oil, gas prices

PARIS (AP) — Total SA said core earnings slid 3 percent in the second quarter as lower oil and gas prices offset slightly higher production.

The French oil giant's adjusted net income slipped to 2.7 billion euros from 2.8 billion euros a year earlier.

The average price of Brent crude oil fell 5 percent in the quarter to $102.40 per barrel. Total's oil and gas production meanwhile rose 1 percent to 2.29 million barrels a day.

Total's actual net profit — including one-off charges and profits or losses on the value of held assets — rose 67 percent to 2.54 billion euros in the second quarter. The gain was attributed to a lower after-tax inventory effect as well as a large gain on the sale of its stake in an Italian oil field.

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Petrol Prices Set To Jump By 5p Over Summer

Petrol pump prices could soar 5p a litre - burning a hole in the pockets of holiday motorists, the AA has warned.

A surge in the wholesale cost of petrol across Europe has already led to a rise in UK petrol and diesel prices, with more misery possibly to come, the AA said.

On average, UK petrol prices have risen from 134.61p a litre in mid-June to 135.78p now, while diesel has gone up from 139.16p a month ago to 140.24p now.

The AA said: "A $100-a-ton increase in the cost of petrol across northwest Europe, combined with a weaker pound, heralds a potential 5p increase in pump petrol costs."

It added that should petrol go up 5p a litre then a family from Hounslow in west London, for example, heading off on holiday in a typical family car to Cornwall will pay £2.90 more for the return trip than it would have done in June.

The AA said a survey of last year's visitors to Cornwall found that 26% of visitors came from London and southeast England so that for every 100,000 trips to Cornwall from London and the South East, with 86% of visitors coming by car, the petrol price spike could siphon nearly £250,000 away from the tourism industry into the pockets of the fuel industry.

At present, London and the North West have the cheapest petrol, at 135.5p a litre on average.

Northern Ireland, although enjoying the smallest price rise over the past month, is still the most expensive region for petrol at 136.6p.

Scotland and East Anglia share the position of most expensive areas in the UK for diesel, both averaging 140.8p a litre, while the North West has the cheapest, at 139.7p.

AA president Edmund King said: "After the price of petrol stabilised at around 134.6p a litre through much of this June, and weeks were filled with beautiful weather and sporting excellence, it was perhaps inevitable that oil and fuel market speculators would cast a black cloud over what was promising to be a glorious summer."

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