Why is The Ryder Cup so special?

Now that I have recovered from the adrenaline rush that was The Ryder Cup, I can now write this blog. Golf is a sport that is stereotypically boring to watch. A sport that many say is not a sport. However, something that sticks out like a sore thumb are the statistics for The Ryder Cup: the 3rd most watched sporting event behind The Olympics and The World Cup of Soccer. This event really is something special, but why could it be claimed that it is bigger than major championships that have been going on much longer than The Ryder Cup?

The atmosphere is what makes this event so dramatic. The top players of the world thrive off it. No prize money is involved: competing for complete bragging rights. However, The President's Cup offers the same event and golf being introduced to The Olympics was quite frankly an anti-climax.

From a marketing standpoint, the commercials during the climax towards The Ryder Cup give me goosebumps already as the video above justifies. The whole brand of The Ryder Cup from the merchandise to the blue or red stands, as shown in the images below, does not compare to any other event in the golfing world.

The Ryder Cup has been so big over the past decade as it is a close battle each time. There are many events such as Olympic Basketball where The United States are obviously going to win and The World Cup of Hockey where Canada are likely going to win. Team USA and Team Europe in The Ryder Cup both have equal confidence in bringing The Ryder Cup home. Therefore, the atmosphere that has been built up from the marketing strategies, the brand management, and the competitiveness had created the greatest tournament on the golfing calendar.