The Masters is one of my favorite sporting events, and its 88-year history brings some great traditions. Here's a running list of the most interesting facts: 1. Media tickets (badges) have RFID tags inside them so the club knows where each person is at all times. 2. Even players who miss the cut at the Masters still walk away with a $10,000 check. 3. A 5-bedroom home near Augusta will rent for $30,000+ during Masters week, and brands often pay six figures for larger homes where they can host events. 4. The IRS has a special exemption in the tax code called the "Augusta Rule," allowing homeowners to rent out their homes for 14 days per year without paying taxes on the income. This rule was initially implemented for Augusta residents only but is now available to everyone in the United States. 5. The Masters will do $70 million in merchandise sales this week. That's... • $10 million per day • $1 million per hour • $16,000 per minute • $277 per second The merchandise is so popular because you can only buy it at Augusta (aka no online sales). 6. In 1931, Augusta National was purchased for $70,000— or an inflation-adjusted $1.4 million. However, the property is now valued at over $200 million. 7. Augusta National has quietly been expanding over the years, spending more than $200 million (through an array of LLCs) to buy 100+ properties. Augusta has purchased strip malls, restaurants, apartment complexes, and homes, adding 270+ acres to the property and often paying 3-4x their value. 8. Augusta National is debuting "Map & Flag" at this year's tournament. The premium hospitality offering isn't even on the property — it was built in a strip mall down the street that Augusta acquired for $26 million in 2020 — yet they were able to charge $17,000 per ticket (+ week-long badges) and have completely sold out. 9. The concession stand food is wrapped in green packaging, so it can't be seen on TV if someone litters. 10. Someone once found a green jacket in a Canadian thrift store. They purchased the jacket for $5, and it later sold at auction for $140,000. 11. Magnolia Lane is exactly 330 yards long, with 61 trees on each side. 12. Augusta's clubhouse has a wine cellar with 30+ pages of the world's most exclusive wines. 13. Previous Masters champions gather every year for dinner on the Tuesday before the tournament. The previous year's winner gets to pick the menu, but he must also pay for the meal. 14. The Masters leaves millions on the table by giving away the broadcasting rights to ESPN and CBS for free. They do this to maintain complete control, handpicking advertisers, eliminating on-course signage, and only playing 3 to 4 minutes of commercials each hour. 15. Unlike most golf clubs, which are registered as non-profits, Augusta National is a for-profit corporation. This requires them to pay more taxes, but they do it anyway because it means they don't have to share their member list, income, holdings, or expansion plans. 16. More than 1,500 private jets will land in Augusta this week, paying about $3,000 in landing and parking fees. 17. Augusta has SubAir Systems under each green. This enables them to keep the greens consistent, sucking up water when it rains and adding moisture when it's hot. Also, when someone slipped a few years back, Augusta added SubAir systems under all the walkways. 18. Dwight D. Eisenhower is the only U.S. President to become a member at Augusta National. He never actually attended the Masters, but Eisenhower made 29 trips to the property, playing 210 rounds of golf, during his eight-year term as President. Even crazier, Augusta worked with the Secret Service to build him a safe place to stay, called Eisenhower Cabin, which is still used on the property today. That's it for today! Enjoy the tournament, and if you learned something from this post, follow me for more sports business content.