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

[ChetlovesMer]

1 hour ago, jxdama said:

I hope Rahm moves  on and  puts an end to the PGA tour.

Why?

[JetFan1983]

No Laying Up with a long tweet documenting the history of Rahm’s denials of LIV rumors. I agree as well his Ryder Cup love is real and it would be odd for him to give that up now, though perhaps he has been convinced the Ryder Cup will include more LIV players next time around, and not just Brooks because he won a major. 

Edited December 1, 2023 by JetFan1983

[StuM]

I am open to being corrected, but I thought the preliminary deal with PGAT/LIV included a clause that they would cease to poach players.  If that is the case, then why would LIV be making offers to Rahm in violation of that preliminary agreement?  It they want the "deal" to go through they would honor the preliminary agreement so I do not think them making an offer to Rahm would be in the PIF's best interest.

[klineka]

53 minutes ago, StuM said:

I am open to being corrected, but I thought the preliminary deal with PGAT/LIV included a clause that they would cease to poach players.  If that is the case, then why would LIV be making offers to Rahm in violation of that preliminary agreement?  It they want the "deal" to go through they would honor the preliminary agreement so I do not think them making an offer to Rahm would be in the PIF's best interest.

Maybe they're hedging their bets so to speak, they might already know/have very little faith that the PGAT/LIV deal will actually go through.

 

2 hours ago, jxdama said:

I hope Rahm moves  on and  puts an end to the PGA tour.

[phillyk]

59 minutes ago, JetFan1983 said:

No Laying Up with a long tweet documenting the history of Rahm’s denials of LIV rumors.

Rahm's comments is what I think of when it comes to the PGA Tour. Tradition and playing against the best players. Not money. Obviously money is important, but it shouldn’t be the reason to play, imo. It was that way when the PGA Tour split from PGA of America and it should be that way now. But LIV somehow forced the PGA Tour to lose its identity in the last couple years.

I don’t like LIV but it has its place. It was built purely for entertainment. Not tradition and not playing against the best players. Best players help and LIV is willing to buy them, but they want to provide entertainment. If you want money and to play golf, LIV may very well be the better avenue.

The PGA Tour thought Waste Management Open was a one of a kind deal. LIV wanted it to be every event. There is obviously a market for it. TGL is meant to be the PGA Tour’s sort of entertainment part to counter/provide competition against LIV.

I don’t care really if Rahm leaves or not. It is what it is. I just think LIV and PGA Tour need to co exist. Let the players get rich at LIV and enjoy the traditions of the game with the PGA Tour. 

[StuM]

I

1 hour ago, StuM said:

I am open to being corrected, but I thought the preliminary deal with PGAT/LIV included a clause that they would cease to poach players.  If that is the case, then why would LIV be making offers to Rahm in violation of that preliminary agreement?  It they want the "deal" to go through they would honor the preliminary agreement so I do not think them making an offer to Rahm would be in the PIF's best interest.

I need to correct my comments.  I did some digging and the part of the agreement that prevented poaching was removed in July.  I still think PIF poaching a PGAT play at this time would not be in there best interest of finalizing a merger with PGAT with one exception.  If they feel deal is about to fall apart they may want to say "We can still attract your players" which may hinder other offers the PGAT may be considering. 

PGA Tour, PIF dropping player recruitment clause showing uncertainty surrounding deal

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The decision by the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia's PIF to abandon the crucial provision of their tentative deal to not recruit each other’s players reflected the fragility, uncertainty and turbulence surrounding the deal.

 

[iacas]

4 hours ago, JetFan1983 said:

No Laying Up with a long tweet documenting the history of Rahm’s denials of LIV rumors. I agree as well his Ryder Cup love is real and it would be odd for him to give that up now, though perhaps he has been convinced the Ryder Cup will include more LIV players next time around, and not just Brooks because he won a major. 

European players were not eligible for the Ryder Cup.

3 hours ago, phillyk said:

I don’t like LIV but it has its place. It was built purely for entertainment.

It's not entertaining anyone, though. Nobody watches.

[chspeed]

2 hours ago, iacas said:

 

It's not entertaining anyone, though. Nobody watche

Certainly seems like it, since viewer numbers are very hard to come by, and they're clearly burying them. Did you find any reliable data on this? Just curious.

[iacas]

29 minutes ago, chspeed said:

Certainly seems like it, since viewer numbers are very hard to come by, and they're clearly burying them. Did you find any reliable data on this? Just curious.

No. They stopped sharing them:

LIV quietly stops publicly reporting TV ratings amid viewership dip

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Six events and three months into its sophomore season, LIV has quietly stopped publicly reporting its TV ratings, reversing course on an early-season strategy, and a sign that the league could be struggling to...

[jxdama]

9 hours ago, ChetlovesMer said:

Why?

The  players are too soft  now and  pampered. Tour  hasnt adjusted to the technology.

[klineka]

7 minutes ago, jxdama said:

The  players are too soft  now and  pampered. Tour  hasnt adjusted to the technology.

Coming from the same guy who cries every time PGA tour players break par meanwhile Bryson shot a 58 in a LIV event this year. 

Did you keep the same energy calling out LIV when that happened like you have repeatedly done towards the PGA Tour?

Edited December 2, 2023 by klineka

[iacas]

52 minutes ago, klineka said:

Coming from the same guy who cries every time PGA tour players break par meanwhile Bryson shot a 58 in a LIV event this year. 

Did you keep the same energy calling out LIV when that happened like you have repeatedly done towards the PGA Tour?

Go figure. @jxdama is a hypocrite.

10 hours ago, iacas said:

Curious how you square comments like this with your constant whining about how easy the PGA Tour sets up courses for their tournaments…

[JetFan1983]

10 hours ago, phillyk said:

Rahm's comments is what I think of when it comes to the PGA Tour. Tradition and playing against the best players. Not money. Obviously money is important, but it shouldn’t be the reason to play, imo. It was that way when the PGA Tour split from PGA of America and it should be that way now. But LIV somehow forced the PGA Tour to lose its identity in the last couple years.

I don’t like LIV but it has its place. It was built purely for entertainment. Not tradition and not playing against the best players. Best players help and LIV is willing to buy them, but they want to provide entertainment. If you want money and to play golf, LIV may very well be the better avenue.

The PGA Tour thought Waste Management Open was a one of a kind deal. LIV wanted it to be every event. There is obviously a market for it. TGL is meant to be the PGA Tour’s sort of entertainment part to counter/provide competition against LIV.

I don’t care really if Rahm leaves or not. It is what it is. I just think LIV and PGA Tour need to co exist. Let the players get rich at LIV and enjoy the traditions of the game with the PGA Tour. 

I definitely think it's gross if he goes, but things have changed quite a bit since June 6, and these guys on the PGAT have some moral high ground now -- at least among their peers within the PGAT.

Anyway, I hope it's all bullshit. Merger's got a soft deadline December 31st. I'm sure we've got more twists and turns in the offing.

Edited December 2, 2023 by JetFan1983

[jxdama]

22 hours ago, klineka said:

Coming from the same guy who cries every time PGA tour players break par meanwhile Bryson shot a 58 in a LIV event this year. 

Did you keep the same energy calling out LIV when that happened like you have repeatedly done towards the PGA Tour?

They are a  new  tour. Lets give them a few  years. Another reason to watch LIV right  now  is you dont  have to listen non-stop about tiger woods even though he  is  16 shots  behind  in a  20 player field

[StuM]

22 minutes ago, jxdama said:

They are a  new  tour. Lets give them a few  years. Another reason to watch LIV right  now  is you dont  have to listen non-stop about tiger woods even though he  is  16 shots  behind  in a  20 player field

What does them being a new tour have anything to do with shooting low scores being a problem?

As for Tiger, the reason they show him & talk about him is he draws viewers which sells commercials.  Here’s the thing, Tiger 16 behind the leaders draws more viewers than all of LIV.

[iacas]

1 hour ago, jxdama said:

They are a  new  tour. Lets give them a few  years.

Nah, I'm good. And… @StuM's response is nearly perfect.

53 minutes ago, StuM said:

What does them being a new tour have anything to do with shooting low scores being a problem?

As for Tiger, the reason they show him & talk about him is he draws viewers which sells commercials.  Here’s the thing, Tiger 16 behind the leaders draws more viewers than all of LIV.

🤣

[Vinsk]

1 hour ago, jxdama said:

you dont  have to listen non-stop about tiger woods even though he  is  16 shots  behind  in a  20 player field

Right. And listening to Feherty comment as though he’s just witnessed the Berlin Wall collapse after watching a golfer we’ve never heard of hit a wedge to 9’ with a flash mob in the background dancing to a miserable 90’s mix is just breathtaking.🙄

[klineka]

18 hours ago, jxdama said:

Another reason to watch LIV right  now  is you dont  have to listen non-stop about tiger woods even though he  is  16 shots  behind  in a  20 player field

Yeah because I'm sure everyone would much rather listen about Chase Koepka, Richard Bland, and James Piot. 🙄