Young46:The monies generated from the pro shop item(s) would be more than enough to cover the cost of airfare/hotel & prize pool.
Perhaps, perhaps not.
You have to remember to actually generate sales requires people to actually put money into the game to pay for these items. Accrued credits are dead money for WGT, and most (yes this is an assumption) top players will have a lot of accrued credits - therefore will not generate revenue. The rank and file players would need to purchase the items by "new money", and whether that happens in sufficient volumes to pay for even 10 players from around the world would be debateable.
Also you have to remember the players that put in cash (either directly or indirectly through credit offers) probably are the newer players or players who do not have the ability to earn a lot of credits via winnings (tournaments or MPC) and therefore they are probably the most treasured and targeted players in WGT's eyes. Those players who have amassed a large cache of credits are not as valued in terms of the ability to generate new revenue.
The only way I really see it being viable is somehow incorporating Top Golf to promote their facilities, perhaps in conjunction with some media fan fare. And in doing so, get high profile sponsors for the event further improving the viability and exposure for all groups.
I quite like the idea of a shopping pass, as this would probably encourage more people to pump new money into the game, but again at the higher levels may reduce the upgrades (e.g. skip buying 97 irons and getting the 100 irons only) - that is the level model....create as many upgrades as possible. This may actually reduce the overall longer term spend.
Once again, in principle the idea is solid, but every company wants to see a return on their investment. So the bean counters would need to sit down and do the sums.
It would also be nice to get a comment from WGT whether it would/could be feasible, but judging by the usual lack of communication and openness this will not be broached, at least publically.
Players and spectators want it, and it adds transparency to what is sometimes murky waters (in some eyes)