LIV Golf (Saudi PIF), "Mergers," and More

[DaveP043]

1 minute ago, iacas said:

What if he's one of the primary ones who pushed DJ to go play with the Saudis?

I can still like him and think he screwed up.  Much like with politics, we don't have to agree on everything.

[jmanbooyaa]

How much did that wedding cost DJ?

[Missouri Swede]

4 minutes ago, jmanbooyaa said:

How much did that wedding cost DJ?

Everything.

[turtleback]

12 hours ago, jbishop15 said:

 

Well, I guess if you are going to sell your soul, at least get a good price for it.  Did he make the deal at a crossroads or do the Saudis use a different venue than the devil?

On 5/31/2022 at 5:30 PM, iacas said:

Hmmmmm.

Hmmm, indeed.  No Phil.  Did he get himself disinvited for his comments about the scary Saudi mofos and the murder of Khashoggi?

Edited June 2, 2022 by turtleback

[Troy Ocker]

Sure Mr. Suppressor and Dictator, give me enough green and I'll perform at your fancy dinner party. 

What is going on with people? Would they take money from Hitler, Idi Amin, Mugabe or Stalin to make them shine a little brighter as well? 

Very dissapointed with every single one on that list. Just ban them from the European tour, the PGA tour and all majors for life and strip them of all silverwear won already.    

[Zeph]

10 hours ago, Missouri Swede said:

It's my understanding that the events will be broadcast on YouTube. Do we skip watching it, so as to not support it?

I’ll probably take a peek to see what they are doing, but other than satisfy the curiosity there is little that makes me want to watch it.

[ChetlovesMer]

8 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

I can still like him and think he screwed up.  Much like with politics, we don't have to agree on everything.

That is not a very common opinion in 2022. 

11 hours ago, Missouri Swede said:

It's my understanding that the events will be broadcast on YouTube. Do we skip watching it, so as to not support it?

Personally, I'm not going to watch. 
I'm sure there will be a lot of folks watching. My guess is this first event will get a lot of viewers. 

[boogielicious]

16 minutes ago, ChetlovesMer said:

Personally, I'm not going to watch. 
I'm sure there will be a lot of folks watching. My guess is this first event will get a lot of viewers. 

I won’t either. I wonder if each player has to cane a Saudi prisoner on the way by the 17th green each tournament?

[GolfLug]

This is not good whether we like it or not. If already set-for-a-few-lifetimes rich golfers like DJ are jumping ship, there are many journeymen who will follow suit. The money seems too good to simply walk away unless they have ultra solid moral make up.

But, moral fiber is not what it used to be, so I see LIV surviving and even flourish eventually. Their strength is they don't need much or any outside money.

I don't see the PGA being harmed much though. The establishment is still and always will the best vehicle for top sponsors. 

Interesting times.

[boogielicious]

1 minute ago, GolfLug said:

This is not good whether we like it or not. If already set-for-a-few-lifetimes rich golfers like DJ are jumping ship, there are many journeymen who will follow suit. The money seems too good to simply walk away unless they have ultra solid moral make up.

But, moral fiber is not what it used to be, so I see LIV surviving and even flourish eventually. Their strength is they don't need much or any outside money.

I don't see the PGA being harmed much though. The establishment is still and always will the best vehicle for top sponsors. 

Interesting times.

If there sponsors drop them, it may cause some to think twice. 

[GolfLug]

12 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

If there sponsors drop them, it may cause some to think twice. 

Saudis? It's their 'we are actually nice/civilized guys' commercial. What could make them back out? 

[ChetlovesMer]

27 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

If there sponsors drop them, it may cause some to think twice. 

I'm not so sure. I think the money will be there no matter if they keep or lose sponsors. The Saudis seem Hell bent for leather that this is going to happen one way or another. Sponsors or no sponsors. 

What I find interesting to me is that being a child of the 80's, is how things have changed. I may be misremembering but seems like a lot of folks talk about the 80's like it was the decade of greed. Having said that, there was a different level of national pride. If an athlete (especially one at or near the top of his/her game) would have said they were going to compete for the USSR (Our sworn enemies at the time). It would have brought them no end to the visceral responses from the media and average citizen alike. Today, when I hear people talk about Phil or DJ going to play for the Saudis, I hear a lot of people saying "Well, their money spends like anyone else's." It seems like many people feel "Yeah, we know their money is dirty... but their is a lot of it." 

So, which is the decade of greed? 

[boogielicious]

2 minutes ago, ChetlovesMer said:

I'm not so sure. I think the money will be there no matter if they keep or lose sponsors. The Saudis seem Hell bent for leather that this is going to happen one way or another. Sponsors or no sponsors. 

What I find interesting to me is that being a child of the 80's, is how things have changed. I may be misremembering but seems like a lot of folks talk about the 80's like it was the decade of greed. Having said that, there was a different level of national pride. If an athlete (especially one at or near the top of his/her game) would have said they were going to compete for the USSR (Our sworn enemies at the time). It would have brought them no end to the visceral responses from the media and average citizen alike. Today, when I hear people talk about Phil or DJ going to play for the Saudis, I hear a lot of people saying "Well, their money spends like anyone else's." It seems like many people feel "Yeah, we know their money is dirty... but their is a lot of it." 

So, which is the decade of greed? 

Sponsorship is more than just money. You are a brand ambassador. Your face is on ads everywhere. People can’t see a red Nike shirt and not think of Tiger.  Phil had that. “Had”. 

Sometimes, the sponsors stay with you in difficult times like sickness or injury. Oakley and Nike paid for Lance Armstrong’s health insurance when he got cancer. (Let’s not go into what happened after). Golf sponsors have done the same with injuries and other issues. It is more community than you get just being paid by dictators.  Plus, you’ll forever be known as a sellout. I don’t think the Saudis will stick by Taylor Gooch if he gets injured or is just mediocre.

Maybe this league will stick around. Everyone thought the USFL would. I think Steve Young is still getting paid by some idiot billionaire, but the league is gone.

I won’t watch it and from the chatter on this site, I don’t think many here will. We can see great golf now. Why switch?

[DaveP043]

1 hour ago, ChetlovesMer said:

That is not a very common opinion in 2022. 

It may be more common than seems apparent, its just that the truly intolerant few get most of the publicity.

[jsgolfer]

Rory's response was classic - 

"I certainly don't think the field is anything to jump up and down about."

[imsys0042]

RBC dropped DJ.   Aside from the sports washing controversy, it's a bad look when a hefty percentage of the golf viewership doesn't like the players jumping ship from the Tour.  We don't know what the repercussions are right now, but certainly the thought of bans and consequences for going to the LIV is out there.

A lot of companies have built up brand equity in the PGA Tour and are probably going to think whether or not they want to be associated with LIV golfers.   The family friendly corporate image of the PGA Tour helps pay for a lot of purses.   I hope some of the sponsors drop these guys.   If they are going to play for blood money, then let the blood money be their sole income.

[ChetlovesMer]

29 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

Sponsorship is more than just money. You are a brand ambassador. Your face is on ads everywhere. People can’t see a red Nike shirt and not think of Tiger.  Phil had that. “Had”. 

Sometimes, the sponsors stay with you in difficult times like sickness or injury. Oakley and Nike paid for Lance Armstrong’s health insurance when he got cancer. (Let’s not go into what happened after). Golf sponsors have done the same with injuries and other issues. It is more community than you get just being paid by dictators.  Plus, you’ll forever be known as a sellout. I don’t think the Saudis will stick by Taylor Gooch if he gets injured or is just mediocre.

Maybe this league will stick around. Everyone thought the USFL would. I think Steve Young is still getting paid by some idiot billionaire, but the league is gone.

I won’t watch it and from the chatter on this site, I don’t think many here will. We can see great golf now. Why switch?

Very good point. I didn't think about it that way. 

[iacas]

6 minutes ago, imsys0042 said:

RBC dropped DJ.   Aside from the sports washing controversy, it's a bad look when a hefty percentage of the golf viewership doesn't like the players jumping ship from the Tour.  We don't know what the repercussions are right now, but certainly the thought of bans and consequences for going to the LIV is out there.

A lot of companies have built up brand equity in the PGA Tour and are probably going to think whether or not they want to be associated with LIV golfers.   The family friendly corporate image of the PGA Tour helps pay for a lot of purses.   I hope some of the sponsors drop these guys.   If they are going to play for blood money, then let the blood money be their sole income.