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

[GolfLug]

1 hour ago, iacas said:

Phil Mickelson drops out of LIV Golf-backed lawsuit against PGA Tour | Golf News and Tour Information | GolfDigest.com

Phil is out.

He prolly thinks or knows the hassle is not worth the payout if they get one at all.

[Darkfrog]

LIV Golf set to pay to get tournaments on Fox Sports

---

Two weeks ago, Greg Norman said he was fielding intense interest from media companies eager to broadcast LIV tournaments.

So LIV is going to pay to get broadcast time for their league. I guess all the interest in the LIV product broadcast rights that Greg Norman talked about was BS.

[DeadMan]

I was coming to post that article. I thought this was interesting:

Quote

LIV will also be responsible for the production of its tournament broadcasts and for selling commercial sponsorships during its time slots, two tasks that would usually fall to a broadcast partner.

“Any advertiser who touches this will get blasted,” a longtime sports TV executive said. “It’s a weak product but it’s a tainted product on top of that.”

Is LIV going to bother selling commercials at all? If so, are we going to be treated to a bunch of MyPillow commercials? Maybe 1-800-cars-for-kids?

[Vinsk]

31 minutes ago, DeadMan said:

I was coming to post that article. I thought this was interesting:

Is LIV going to bother selling commercials at all? If so, are we going to be treated to a bunch of MyPillow commercials? Maybe 1-800-cars-for-kids?

It’ll be this over and over:

 

[boogielicious]

Geez Phil, shave the stubble.

You’re starting to look like this guy.

[dennyjones]

6 hours ago, Darkfrog said:

I guess all the interest in the LIV product broadcast rights that Greg Norman talked about was BS.

It seems that is turning into the "norm".

[ChetlovesMer]

7 hours ago, Vinsk said:

It’ll be this over and over:

 

Well, this explains everything. Greg is doing what ever he can to get us to remember him for something ... anything, other than blowing the lead in the Masters AND this commercial. 

[iacas]

And it wasn't just Phil who withdrew:

[Darkfrog]

I stopped following after the 5th bullet point on Day 1 of the "finale". Doesn't matter because I'm not going to watch anyways.

[imsys0042]

15 hours ago, Darkfrog said:

LIV Golf set to pay to get tournaments on Fox Sports

---

Two weeks ago, Greg Norman said he was fielding intense interest from media companies eager to broadcast LIV tournaments.

So LIV is going to pay to get broadcast time for their league. I guess all the interest in the LIV product broadcast rights that Greg Norman talked about was BS.

Yeah, although there are some conflicting things said via the Twitteratti experts.   Mainly the two camps are:

1 -  It shows how there is not a lot of interest. (one person quoted an "unnamed exec" with "it's not an interesting product and it's tarnished as well.   No sponsors are going to touch it".   Maybe a few that don't care?

2 -  Any sports league would be doing this early on until more interest catches on.  Hence this is a good move since if they can deliver ratings like LIV/Norman thinks they can, it'll help them.

 

Personally I am in the first camp.   I think for all the money thrown at this, there is too much controversy and I'm not surprised that Fox Sports would be the only contender since they don't have any existing golf.  I wonder if they will run a disclaimer before it, or something.   The following media companies have relationships with the PGA Tour:

Major networks. -  CBS/NBC and ABC (through Disney/ESPN)

Golf Channel seems very pro-PGAT and they are owned by the same company as NBC (Comcast).  I mean something like TBS or another channel could do it, but I'm not sure that random cable networks are set to do that.   Even though most of them are owned by major media companies.   Warner Discovery and it's subsidiaries have TBS which has done sports and they also have a sports group but nothing golf that I see.   So you have to risk onboarding something that seems like it might not be around in a few years.   Paramount/Viacom is owned of CBS so that is kind of out as well.  

On the streaming front, Amazon and Apple passed.   Not sure why exactly, but they probably don't want to risk it either given the source of the money and the reaction a lot of people have to it.  Hulu is part of Disney.  

There is some valid argument for the second camp, that any upstart rival would do this.   Someone quotes the Ryder Cup as having to purchase time as late as 1989.   But I think today's world is very different.   With all the competing media companies and the money thrown at streaming, there is a lot more likelihood that someone would take a chance if it was such a great product.   How many viewing options were there in the quoted 1989 time frame.  Basic cable was around, but no streaming and the 3 big networks ruled everything for the most part.   I think it really says something that in what is a golden age of content (quality and quantity) that almost everyone passed on it.  And then that LIV had to pay to put it on the air.   Maybe it's a co-production?  Who knows?

 

[imsys0042]

16 hours ago, DeadMan said:

I was coming to post that article. I thought this was interesting:

Is LIV going to bother selling commercials at all? If so, are we going to be treated to a bunch of MyPillow commercials? Maybe 1-800-cars-for-kids?

 

[DeadMan]

7 hours ago, imsys0042 said:

 

I have bought that more than once for white elephant exchanges. I have also received it, so I guess the joke is on me.

If they bring back the Hammer X commercial, then I might actually tune in.

[Elmer]

23 hours ago, iacas said:

And it wasn't just Phil who withdrew:

With this weird format for a "championship" all they are missing is a good ole 80's style WWF championship belt.
Might as well swerve the clown car away from legitimacy.
maybe the can start putting obstacles on the course like they did in Caddyshack 2 !!!!

[iacas]

PGA Tour countersues LIV Golf

---

The PGA Tour countersued LIV Golf late Wednesday night in the latest legal volley between the two organizations as they struggle over golf’s future. The PGA Tour accused the Saudi-backed LIV Golf of tortiously...

https://www.si.com/golf/news/pga-tour-countersues-liv-golf

Most of the counterclaim is based on the PGA Tour assertion that LIV was a willing participant in convincing players to breach their contracts with the Tour by paying them large sums of money.

Those breaches by the players are the substance of the counterclaim by the Tour, which is asking for damages because of LIV’s tortious interference with the Tour’s contracts, including any lost profits, damages to reputational and brand harm, plus costs and punitive damages the Tour suffered by LIV’s actions.

[iacas]

Oh boy…

Exclusive: LIV golfers find way to earn world ranking points – from this week

---

A 'strategic alliance' with the obscure MENA Tour means that rebel players have a pathway back into the majors

[Beastie]

Unbelievably, I am already aware of this tour! My friends son has played  a couple of events. Anyhoo the current leader of the Mena Tour money list is currently about 570 in OWGR, so even Pat Perez might make the cut.

[iacas]

[iacas]

1. They misspelled Koepka's last name in the description. (I understand it's autocorrect, but… c'mon guys.)
2. The first thing Brooks says is "I just hate when you sit on the fence. Pick a side." Ummmm, huh? What are they being told that he'd say that? Seems pretty clear to me the OWGR has "picked a side." They said "no."
3. Bryson "We've hit every mark in their criteria." Ummmm, name them? And what marks have you hit? You've been around for a year? No. You have cuts? No. Clear path to qualification? No. So what marks have you hit?

I lost interest when the translator had to speak for two minutes straight after that. 😉

It seems somewhat clear that the players were told OWGR points would be there for them pretty soon. Did they believe the Asian Tour stuff was their immediate way in, and now that it seems to be failing, or the Asian Tour isn't playing ball, that this MENA play was going to work?

I also think the likelihood of OWGR points being assigned retroactively are slimmer than they seem to think, though I suppose since they're *points* it would only really affect the LIV player *points*. Doing it after any tournaments that awards player entry based on their ranking (top 50, top 100, whatever) though feels… funny. That affects players outside of LIV.