Here’s a hint for anyone attending the upcoming Michael Jordan Invitational Golf Tournament at Shadow Creek Gold Course: If you find yourself on a shuttle on the way to the tournament, and sitting across from you is a guy carrying an NBA-issued basketball, a dozen 8-by-11 photos of Michael Jordan and a 1997 NBA Finals game program and wearing an official Jordan-Chicago Bulls jersey, this person might not be your typical golf fan.
This person is likely a professional autograph seeker, a memorabilia entrepreneur, as it were. These folks chase the American dream and superstar sports figures at such celebrity events as the Jordan Celebrity Invitational, which runs from Thursday through Sunday at Shadow Creek.
Like flies to a rib roast, these independent operators feast on such star-laden events. If they obtain that coveted autograph, they typically turn around and sell the signed item on eBay or some other popular online platform (such as my Facebook page, as I kid) for a tidy profit.
The problem with professional autograph seekers surfaced at last year’s MJCI, as dozens of ticket-holders surged through the gallery on the 18th hole after Jordan finished his first round. They pushed all manner of artifacts in his direction, and at one point Jordan spotted a particularly aggressive memorabilia hawker in the throng and said, “I recognize you!”
“Last year, we were very, very surprised at the autograph seekers on property, and Shadow Creek and Aria security are addressing this,” said Mark Brenneman, general manager of Shadow Creek, the beautifully conceived golf course that has been sculpted into the hardened terrain off Losee Road, near Interstate 15 and Craig Road.
Aria is mentioned, as it is the tournament’s host hotel, whence VIP ticket-holders are shuttled to the course. It was all too common for pro autograph hounds to climb aboard a shuttle at Aria lugging what seemed to be the inventory of a small memorabilia store.
“We need to limit what they can bring on the bus,” Brenneman said. “That means no backpacks. No Army duffel bags. No hockey sticks (such ex-NHL stars as Brett Hull are entered in the event) or basketballs. You’ll have to check that stuff at the gate.”
How to discern a regular fan from a full-time memorabilia businessman? Volume, volume, volume.
“If we see someone with just one photo, that’s OK. But if you’ve got 15 photos, we’ll say, ‘That’s a violation,’” Brenneman said. “We’ll ask to check any items we deem inappropriate.”
The concept is to allow the public to walk the course, which was open for the first time to commoners for the 2011 event, while keeping the scene intimate.
“Michael wants to maintain intimacy for the public and for the celebrities, as does Shadow Creek,” Brenneman said.
The most recent official list of celebrities scheduled to participate are: Jordan, Hull, Aaron Rodgers, Joey Fatone, Michael Vick, Billy Crudup, Marcus Allen, Jason Taylor, Anthony Anderson, Brian Baumgartner, Cedric the Entertainer, Brandi Chastain, Chris Chelios, Roger Clemens, Julius Erving, Ken Griffey Jr., Penny Hardaway, Dennis Haysbert, Terri Francona, Jack Wagner, Dale Jarrett, Boris Kodjoe, Ahmad Rashad, Paul O’Neill, Maury Povich, Salli Richardson, Win McMurry, Michael Wilbon, Stuart Scott, John Smoltz and Alan Thicke.
A total of 12 sports Hall of Famers — at one former boy band member — are entered
The MJCI begins at 7:30 a.m. Thursday and runs through Sunday (tickets range from $30 per day to $100 for the week, and VIP packages also are offered; go to the tournament website for info). The first two days are played under a celebrity-amateur format (one celeb with four amateurs). Saturday and Sunday is the real competition, a 36-hole, two-person scramble. Jordan and his former Bulls teammate, Toni Kukoc, won last year’s event. Jordan said before the tourney that he would find the best celeb entry and pair himself with that player, and he followed through perfectly.
The tournament is in the second year of a three-year contract with Aria and Shadow Creek. It is not being televised, and there are no plans to pursue a TV contract. Why mess with the intimacy of the event? The event has doubled its corporate sponsorship from a year ago, when it raised $500,000 for a variety of charities, most notably the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Nevada Cancer Institute and the James R. Jordan Foundation. Individual celebs also donate to their favored charities.
“We don’t have any specific projections or expectations,” Brenneman said. “We are prepared to handle any volume of customers, with 320 acres on property. Shadow Creek lends itself to large galleries, and we’ve got an even stronger field than last year.”
So, yes, sign us up. Just don’t sell the signature.
Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at Twitter.com/JohnnyKats. Also, follow “Kats With the Dish” at Twitter.com/KatsWithTheDish.
Previous Discussion: