Last Sunday afternoon, I was as far from the world of sports as I could have been. Granted, I was at the Masters Tournament, but that’s about as far removed from today’s sporting world as the Cubs are from the World Series.

In today’s sports world corporate sponsorship is a way of life. Everybody has a sponsor these days.

NASCAR is the worst display of advertising passed off as a competition. I will not get into the question of whether auto racing is a sport; I personally think it is a sport if something like horse racing can be considered a sport, but NASCAR is a three-hour commercial.

Have you ever heard an interview after a NASCAR event? For the unenlightened, here is a taste of what your missing.

Reporter: “How do you feel about the win?” 

Driver: “Well, I’ll tell you, the Valvoline Chevrolet ran outstanding today. I got into a little trouble early, but the Miller Genuine Draft/Split Fire pit crew got me back on track. We had some damage on the front quarter panel, right by the McDonalds and Gatorade logos, but we just pulled the damage back with a Mack wrench and got back on the track. 

“The track was slick today, but the Goodyear tires held their own, and we made it into victory lane at the Die Hard 500.”

That is the extent of conversation after a race; a shameless plug for the endless line of product the particular racer endorses. They even teach the drivers how to incorporate sponsors into events like interviews.

NASCAR is not the only sport that uses such tactics. 

Look at college bowl games. We used to have bowl games like the Fiesta Bowl, the Orange Bowl and the Sugar Bowl. 

Now if you want to talk about the bowl games, you better include their promotional affiliates.

The Sugar Bowl is now the Nokia Sugar Bowl. FedEx bought the rights to the Orange Bowl, while Tostidos owns the Fiesta Bowl.

At least the Fiesta Bowl makes sense. How are you going to have a party without chips and salsa?

Along the way, someone took pure games and made them into a romantic infomercial. That is what sports has become in today’s world.

The Masters is different

Some people may call it elitist, but those people do things their own way up in Augusta.

There is no sign of corporate sponsorship on the course. 

Unlike basketball games where the name of the network broadcasting the game is adorned along the team benches, CBS’s moniker is nowhere to be found at Augusta National.

In fact, CBS can only broadcast what the tournament officials say they can show.

The front nine of Augusta is off limits to CBS because tournament officials don’t want you to get the whole picture by just watching it on television.

A friend told me he saw one patron taking pictures of some of the players. 

At Augusta, that is against tournament policies for patrons. He was quickly identified and forced to leave.

The idea behind the policies governing spectator etiquette is to create the best playing environment in golf. It may sound uptight, but if you don’t like the way they run it, don’t come to their golf tournament and golf course.

Even going to the snack bar is an enjoyable departure from other sporting events.

For two people, I bought two BBQ sandwiches, a bag of chips, water, Coke and a candy bar. Final price at The Masters, $7.50, but if I had been at Turner Field, it would have been close to $20.

The bottom line is corporate sponsorship does not go anywhere at Augusta National.

While the world of sports gets everything from games to the Heisman trophy bought out for corporate promotion, the Green Jacket will remain independent. 

What a refreshing notion.