PGA Tour Sponsors: "Three Camps"

I thought reader "Hitting Three" made some interesting observations (as did several others) on the original Stanford Financial post.  Hitting Three broke down PGA Tour sponsors into categories of financial well-being. In case you missed it:

PGA Tour sponsors, 3 camps:

Camp Solid: (24 events)
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Mercedes...seem to be fine.
Sony...seem to be fine.
AT&T...seem to be fine.
Northern Trust...seem to be fine, for a bank anyway.
Accenture...seem to be fine.
Honda...seem to be fine.
Mastercard....debatable but AP can always rope in a new one.
Computer Associates...seem fine.
Transitions...ditto.
Shell...should be fine.
Master's...self-funding, what a concept!! (obviously not a PGA Tour event)
Verizon...seem to be fine.
Zurich...ditto.
Valero...stock went from $75 to $15, but otherwise fine?
HP...fine.
Travelers...ditto.
AT&T (2)...seem to be fine.
John Deere...stock from $90 to $30, but seem fiscally sound.
Royal Bank of Canada...prob be ok, but keep an eye on 'em.
Bridgestone...should be fine.
BMW...ditto.
Coca Cola...ditto. (it's "Co'cola" for the uninitiated)
Viking...men will always grill out.
Disney...guess there will always be a Disney tournament.

Camp Coin Flip: (8 events)
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Mayakoba...luxury travel, who knows, unless it's a wash site then they are fine?
Crowne Plaza...hotel biz? has to be a questionmark.
Morgan Stanley...appears to have survived brush with death, but TARP limits them.
Wyndham...hotel biz? stock has gone from $37 to $4, I'd be worried.
Deutsche Bank...another bank, stock is down 75%, flip a coin.
Turning Stone...prob be ok, I guess.
Shriners...who is the sponsor?
Fry's...with the recent fraud who knows?

Band Camp: (10 events)
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Chrysler...life support, probably not a viable sponsor going forward.
FBR...stock traded at .22c today. Most .22c'rs don't make it.
Buick...ditto Chrysler.
Banco Popular...bank, stock down 75% in last 3 years, seems v shaky.
Wachovia...vaporized, acquiror has no interest in Tour.
Stanford...raided today by SEC for "massive on-going fraud".
US Bank...bailed on the sponsorship after '09.
Buick (2)...life support, brand may not even survive.
Legends..."a project that is currently on hold" -- doubt they are back for '10.
Barclays...stock down 87%, and it's a bank, Ty bulk up in legal!

- 56% of events appear to be on solid footing.
- 20% in coin flip territory.
- 24% looking like burnt toast.

Not a pretty picture... 02.17.2009 | Hitting Three