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

[mcanadiens]

5 hours ago, DeadMan said:

Honestly, there are some aspects of LIV that are positive:

Let's not forget that it gave an entire generation an opportunity to learn the definition of cleeks. 

[iacas]

8 hours ago, saevel25 said:

I thought the PGA tour could have done better for all golfers. Like cover expenses for travel or what not. Or, if you play in x-number of tournaments, then you get a base salary of like $250K per year. Like, if you play in 20 event. Below that, it decreases based on how many tournaments you play. 

@saevel25, you have some reading to do. 😉 

[turtleback]

On 12/10/2023 at 11:14 AM, StuM said:

Do not take the following personal.

You sound a lot like my father did when I was young.  Things were always "Better before" and currently things are "Stupid bad" and of course to me as a teenager/young adult everything seemed normal and I felt he was "Out of touch".  Now, I am saying things similar to you about how much better it was before and I can't believe how bad some things have become....and if I had kids I would suspect they would be thinking I am old and out of touch.  Change is inevitable and not always to our liking.

 

Cool story.  Except I'm not talking about everything, I'm talking about golf.

[Mike Hitman]

For me, the LIV golf team concept has no value or interest, as it currently stands. With all the available brain trust, I'm confused how they could not get this right.

My theory is they looked at other team events i.e. Ryder cup, NFL, etc. and wanted to tap into that success. However, this is where the mistake was made. It wasn't just a team concept that works. Ryder Cup is about your country. NFL is about your city. These personalize it for the fan! Four random guys calling themselves the Niblicks! Come on! Completely missed the essential feature of a team for the fan.

Someone pass this on to LIV golf and have them send me royalty checks.

[StuM]

2 hours ago, Mike Hitman said:

For me, the LIV golf team concept has no value or interest, as it currently stands. With all the available brain trust, I'm confused how they could not get this right.

My theory is they looked at other team events i.e. Ryder cup, NFL, etc. and wanted to tap into that success. However, this is where the mistake was made. It wasn't just a team concept that works. Ryder Cup is about your country. NFL is about your city. These personalize it for the fan! Four random guys calling themselves the Niblicks! Come on! Completely missed the essential feature of a team for the fan.

Someone pass this on to LIV golf and have them send me royalty checks.

Just noticed, joined in 2018’and this is your 1st post. I have nothing against lurking l, but Welcome to TST!

[Mike Hitman]

The team thing in golf also has the issue of separate matches, not like two teams playing simultaneously.  What about this, teams of three players, one team plays another on the same hole, worst ball competition! Geared for a train crash around any corner! Hat to me gets interesting. Your team still Geographical located, win loss record over a season, playoffs. LIV golf implement that and then double my royalty checks. 

Worst ball chosen by other team on each shot.

[StuM]

30 minutes ago, Mike Hitman said:

Worst ball chosen by other team on each shot

Sounds like a Reverse Scramble, I’ll pass

[jsgolfer]

So I have seen that they do have a way for players to get on LIV tour, but of course they are 3 guys I’ve never heard of. And again, who wants to watch the same players play every week. 

[GolfLug]

On 12/13/2023 at 12:10 AM, Mike Hitman said:

The team thing in golf also has the issue of separate matches, not like two teams playing simultaneously.  What about this, teams of three players, one team plays another on the same hole, worst ball competition! Geared for a train crash around any corner! Hat to me gets interesting. Your team still Geographical located, win loss record over a season, playoffs. LIV golf implement that and then double my royalty checks. 

Worst ball chosen by other team on each shot.

Yah, we do 'fun' shit like that during our hack buddies' trips.... for afternoon rounds. 

[ChetlovesMer]

On 12/10/2023 at 12:09 PM, turtleback said:

I'm just glad I've lived my life during the golden years of the Nicklaus/Tiger era, because as far as I'm concerned it has turned into manure, driven by greed and hypocrisy.

I kinda get what you are saying. Although, I won't go so far as to say it's turned into manure. 
I am also glad I got to see (both live on TV and live on the course) the two greatest of all time competing in a format that I actually like. I think everyone should appreciate it if they got to see Tiger and/or Jack in their prime. 

There's no debate that the money in all sports, not just golf, has grown exponentially over the past (pick your time period). That amount of money changes things; How could it not? And when ever something changes there will be some who will like it better and some will not. 

While I'm not thrilled with the changes that have happened recently. I expect professional golf can and will recover. ... eventually. 

[chspeed]

On 12/10/2023 at 12:09 PM, turtleback said:

I'm just glad I've lived my life during the golden years of the Nicklaus/Tiger era, because as far as I'm concerned it has turned into manure, driven by greed and hypocrisy.

You mean back when it was replete with sexism and racism? 🤷‍♂️ To each his own.

[Mike Hitman]

I also think an issue of consideration should be the team versus individual competition. I don't think there is much of a history of mixing the two, simultaneously in competition, muddles the water. I'd be more inclined to have team match days, then individual scoring days. Isolate each. Two separate and distinct competitions.

I am available for consulting if LIV golf wants to hire me.

[turtleback]

23 hours ago, chspeed said:

You mean back when it was replete with sexism and racism? 🤷‍♂️ To each his own.

Why is it so hard to understand that I am just talking about golf?  I clarified that once, but that doesn't't stop you from cheap-shot virtue signaling.

[iacas]

Sources - PGA Tour, U.S. sports team owners group nearing deal - ESPN

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A deal between a group of well-known U.S. sports team owners and the PGA Tour that would infuse more than $3 billion into a new for-profit entity, PGA Tour Enterprises, is imminent, sources told ESPN.

The PGA Tour is also continuing talks with officials from the PIF, which is financing the rival LIV Golf League. If a deal is reached with both Strategic Sports Group and the PIF, more than $7 billion might be infused into PGA Tour Enterprises, which would combine the commercial assets of the PGA Tour, PIF and DP World Tour.

and

There is an increased urgency to get the deals done, after the LIV Golf League signed another PGA Tour star, Spain's Jon Rahm, on Dec. 7. Sources told ESPN that Rahm, the reigning Masters champion, agreed to a multiyear contract worth more than $300 million to jump to the LIV Golf League.

"It was nothing more than a shot across the bow," said a source familiar with the negotiations. "It was a f--- you by PIF to the tour that they can grab anyone, even the guy who was adamant about not joining. Three hundred million dollars is a rounding error to the Saudis. Their message was: 'You want to keep fighting with us, really? You want to keep talking to everyone and box us out? Good luck with that.' That's their message."

[chspeed]

6 hours ago, turtleback said:

Why is it so hard to understand that I am just talking about golf?  I clarified that once, but that doesn't't stop you from cheap-shot virtue signaling.

You talked about greed and hypocrisy. Those aren't golf terms.

I was pointing out that IMO, those "golden years" weren't as golden as they seemed.

25 minutes ago, iacas said:

Their message was: 'You want to keep fighting with us, really? You want to keep talking to everyone and box us out? Good luck with that.' That's their message."

Sounds right. Seems to me like they are in the driver's seat on this deal now, if they weren't already.

Too early to throw up the white flag, but not by much I'm afraid.

On 12/14/2023 at 4:48 PM, Mike Hitman said:

I am available for consulting if LIV golf wants to hire me.

Aren't we all. Everyone's got a price 🙂

Edited December 15, 2023 by chspeed

[iacas]

Look, @turtleback can stand up for himself, but at the same time…

42 minutes ago, chspeed said:

You talked about greed and hypocrisy. Those aren't golf terms.

Ummmm, in this context (PIF, LIV, etc.) they are.

41 minutes ago, chspeed said:

I was pointing out that IMO, those "golden years" weren't as golden as they seemed.

He's talking about the golf. I thought that was obvious, and even if you didn't, he literally said he was "just talking about golf."

Move on.

[Zeph]

Viktor Hovland makes big PGA Tour commitment amid intense LIV Golf

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Viktor Hovland and Wyndham Clark are the latest PGA Tour stars reportedly on the verge of joining...

 

[turtleback]

16 hours ago, chspeed said:

You talked about greed and hypocrisy. Those aren't golf terms.

 

Really? 

Greed: this is all about money.

Hypocrisy:  participating in Saudi sportwashing after condemning it.

It's not the "terms" that count, it's the underlying reality.