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

[GolfLug]

Butch H is being funny. 

PGA Tour players do not need to thank LIV. Its not like LIV had set out to enrich the PGAT purses. They couldn't help it and are not definitely not cheering the increases. If anything they would rather PGAT treat it's players like shit.  

[iacas]

Oy.

Double oy.

Golfers on a Team?

[GolfLug]

It's like watching the Liberty tax guy jumping up and down on the sidewalk to attract customers who can't/won't do a simple 1040.

Even if we ignore the Saudi connection for a moment, I still don't see the attraction beyond what one would afford mildly glorified silly season golf. 

[Darkfrog]

Louder. Better. Faster. Shorter.

What the f%&# does that even mean?

I had to go back 10 seconds a bunch of times to see who was playing guitar with their driver. It was Bryson, and totally dumb.

[iacas]

1 minute ago, Darkfrog said:

Louder. Better. Faster. Shorter.

What the f%&# does that even mean?

I think they stole the motto from my sex life.

[Elmer]

 

Of all the Golfers to go to LIV, I am surprised by Bubba going. 
From what little I have read, combined with News stories, I know he has his religion, he is pious and puts work toward charity.
I would have thought that the actions of the backers would not jive with the gospels he reads.
But I guess Jebus wants him to get money from people who have horrible human rights record. Or play at courses owned by someone who could be considered blasphemous and does not follow the teachings which Bubba holds so dear!

[Darkfrog]

27 minutes ago, Elmer said:

I would have thought that the actions of the backers would not jive with the gospels he reads.
But I guess Jebus wants him to get money from people who have horrible human rights record. Or play at courses owned by someone who could be considered blasphemous and does not follow the teachings which Bubba holds so dear!

The word duplicitous comes to mind.

[turtleback]

Quote

LIV Golf lawyers admit tour generated ‘virtually zero’ revenue in first season

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/feb/07/liv-golf-lawyers-admit-tour-generated-virtually-zero-revenue-in-first-season

[iacas]

Just now, turtleback said:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/feb/07/liv-golf-lawyers-admit-tour-generated-virtually-zero-revenue-in-first-season

No surprise. They gave away tickets. And spent a shitload of money. Broadcast without commercials on YouTube. I don't even know where they would have had any revenue: a little bit of merchandise sales at events?

[woodzie264]

9 hours ago, iacas said:

Oy.

Double oy.

Golfers on a Team?

So. Stupid.

7 hours ago, Elmer said:

 

Of all the Golfers to go to LIV, I am surprised by Bubba going. 
From what little I have read, combined with News stories, I know he has his religion, he is pious and puts work toward charity.
I would have thought that the actions of the backers would not jive with the gospels he reads.
But I guess Jebus wants him to get money from people who have horrible human rights record. Or play at courses owned by someone who could be considered blasphemous and does not follow the teachings which Bubba holds so dear!

As a former big Bubba fan, this was highly surprising and disappointing to me. Shameful

[Aguirre]

16 hours ago, iacas said:

How do you figure?

The middle class on the PGA Tour stand to make even more.

Did they not guarantee a salary floor? I thought that was part of the deal.

[iacas]

22 minutes ago, Aguirre said:

Did they not guarantee a salary floor? I thought that was part of the deal.

They give players $500k, but that comes out of their earnings, and it would have affected almost nobody. Literally a handful or something. Even the bottom players on the PGA Tour earn a good amount of prize money.

You didn't explain how the middle class on the PGA Tour is being squeezed. I don't think they are — look at how many of them are getting to play in the "Designated" event this week in Phoenix.

[jmanbooyaa]

Why should sports have a guarantee? Golf is individual you earn on the course your worth. What you do with sponsor money is a different thing. 

[GolfLug]

1 hour ago, jmanbooyaa said:

Why should sports have a guarantee? Golf is individual you earn on the course your worth. What you do with sponsor money is a different thing. 

Welp, commitment is a two way street. If not, then on principle everyone should be a true freelancer and then they shouldn't (not saying they can't)  'ban' them for choosing alternative means of earning - LIV or elsewhere. 

Edited February 8, 2023 by GolfLug

[iacas]

1 hour ago, jmanbooyaa said:

Why should sports have a guarantee?

Tons of sports have guarantees. NHL contracts are fully guaranteed. Etc.

I can see the argument that if you qualified for the PGA Tour, you should get perhaps a "base" salary. What they're doing now where it's basically an advance against your future earnings is the least they could have done short of doing nothing at all.

[chspeed]

3 hours ago, iacas said:

Tons of sports have guarantees. NHL contracts are fully guaranteed. Etc.

Yes, although there is a subtle difference between a minimum guaranteed salary and a guaranteed contract. NHL, MLB, NBA players usually get guaranteed contracts so they will get the total amount they sign for regardless if they're cut/injured/etc. NFL players get a minimum guaranteed salary, but no guaranteed contracts (except for some lucky few). It's amazing to me that NFL players can't get enough leverage to demand guaranteed contracts, considering how short their careers are.

Will be interesting to see if in the future, LIV (or a future upstart leagues) might force the PGA Tour to start offering guaranteed contracts to those players that qualify in order to keep young talent on the PGA tour. Doubtful in the near future, but you never know.

[Aguirre]

On 2/7/2023 at 10:58 PM, iacas said:

They give players $500k, but that comes out of their earnings, and it would have affected almost nobody. Literally a handful or something. Even the bottom players on the PGA Tour earn a good amount of prize money.

You didn't explain how the middle class on the PGA Tour is being squeezed. I don't think they are — look at how many of them are getting to play in the "Designated" event this week in Phoenix.

I'll have to find it, but I read an article by one of these golf insiders who did some back testing on how the purses would be distributed and estimated that the golfers in the range of like 100-150 would actually earn less. Something like 60-100 about break even. Top 60 more. I'll see if I can find it but it was awhile ago and I do not remember who wrote the article or blog post at all.

[jmanbooyaa]

Are the liv golfers now playing on the Asian tour in between the season starting? Asian Tour, Saudi tournaments, majors and Liv. Sounds like a lot of golf all over the world.