On Sponsorships and Finances

A year ago, Robert left his successful career in corporate America for two reasons: 1) Ginger needed someone to accompany her as she moved throughout the country to compete for the LPGA and 2) In October of 2011, Gianna was diagnosed with an aggressive sub-type of thyroid cancer.

Robert: We initially thought it was going to be a routine in and out surgery. But when the test results came back, it resulted in having an second surgery and additional treatment which kept her out of work for a total of 3 months. My number 1 concern was to provide care of my wife! I said let’s just put it in God’s hands. Let me quit my job…

Unfortunately talent and drive aren’t enough to make it in a sport like golf. Tournaments can cost as much as $3000 to enter (Qualifying School), not to mention the cost of lessons and other expenses. With the Howards now supporting their family and the girls’ golf ambitions on one salary, the girls rely on sponsorships and donations to continue to compete. Ginger scored her first major sponsorship with Holiday Inn last year, but sponsorships for the phenoms have been hard to come by.

Robert: We live in a world, whether you like it or not, that’s based on the way you look, and I’ve gotten a rude awakening this year. She’s a pretty girl, she has game, and sponsors should be crawling up her wall. Some of her competitors are just getting sponsors out of the blue, and you can scratch your head all you want, but you still have to be better to be recognized. Venus and Serena, when they were coming up, they didn’t get a whole lot of sponsorship. They had to go win. That’s the reality. We’re not playing a sport that is open to a lot of African Americans to play because they know the expense is incredible… The amount of money I made [in corporate America] allowed for us to live a certain lifestyle. Now we’re in a situation where we have to depend on outside support particularly sponsors and when that’s not happening we’re trying to figure out where the next buck is going to come from. I’ve never been a man of that way. I’ve always been able to provide for my family without a doubt and I’ve given up that side of it to allow the girls to pursue their dream.

Gianna: Some people may think ‘If you need the money then why doesn’t [Robert] go back to corporate America and make some money?’ But there would be no way he would be able to manage a 70-hour work week and still take care of managing all of the golf duties and traveling with Ginger. … There’s a lot that we’re still teaching her for her to be able to spread her wings and fly on her own. She still needs that companion to travel with her and no one else is free to be able to do that at that level. My husband is the best qualified person for that job because he does know a lot about the business (of professional golf) and he definitely has our children’s best interests at heart.