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

[Vinsk]

1 hour ago, May Jonahan said:

PIF is 100% calling a lot of the shots. They just figured it's easier to give Jay the reigns as opposed to having Norman fight everyone

I’m an idiot regarding the legalities and details of this merger. But what shots will the PIF really call? They had a disgruntled, narcissistic CEO who couldn’t get the ratings of a Good Times rerun. They have people on the PGAT side who have been running golf for years. I don’t see the PIF heads setting rules for tournaments/players at all. Does this make sense?

[phillyk]

36 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

I’m an idiot regarding the legalities and details of this merger. But what shots will the PIF really call? They had a disgruntled, narcissistic CEO who couldn’t get the ratings of a Good Times rerun. They have people on the PGAT side who have been running golf for years. I don’t see the PIF heads setting rules for tournaments/players at all. Does this make sense?

I’m wondering of all that too. I think Jay will do his normal thing and day to day operations. Any “bigger” decisions would need PIF approval. He’s there because he has been doing it a long time and Greg wasn’t cutting it. But PIF is now the real boss of it all. 

It really seems like PGAT did not have enough money to keep doing what they were. They made elevated events with bigger purses without truly having the money to do that. Add in legal fees only made them dig into reserves faster than they would have. They needed money and PIF was clearly there to say they were interested. 

[May Jonahan]

1 hour ago, Vinsk said:

I’m an idiot regarding the legalities and details of this merger. But what shots will the PIF really call? They had a disgruntled, narcissistic CEO who couldn’t get the ratings of a Good Times rerun. They have people on the PGAT side who have been running golf for years. I don’t see the PIF heads setting rules for tournaments/players at all. Does this make sense?

I phrased it wrong, but Jay I think reports directly to Yasir who has the ultimate discretion 

Edited June 11, 2023 by May Jonahan

[iacas]

1 hour ago, May Jonahan said:

I phrased it wrong, but Jay I think reports directly to Yasir who has the ultimate discretion 

The chairman isn't the CEO's boss. The PGA Tour will (supposedly) have control of the board, and it'd take the board (not just the chairman) to vote Jay out.

I'm not a corporate governance person, but I think that's generally true. The chairman has power, but not ultimate power.

[May Jonahan]

17 minutes ago, iacas said:

The chairman isn't the CEO's boss. The PGA Tour will (supposedly) have control of the board, and it'd take the board (not just the chairman) to vote Jay out.

I'm not a corporate governance person, but I think that's generally true. The chairman has power, but not ultimate power.

It's confusing. I could see why the players are so frustrated because outside Jay, Yasir, and Jimmy Dunne no one really knows the details of this deal

[iacas]

6 minutes ago, May Jonahan said:

It's confusing. I could see why the players are so frustrated because outside Jay, Yasir, and Jimmy Dunne no one really knows the details of this deal

And Ed Herlihy.

[Dr. Manhattan]

Tiger has been extremely quiet about this news. His Twitter account seems to be focused on his Putt-Putt business and the new indoor simulator league. 

[DeadMan]

22 hours ago, Vinsk said:

I’m an idiot regarding the legalities and details of this merger. But what shots will the PIF really call? They had a disgruntled, narcissistic CEO who couldn’t get the ratings of a Good Times rerun. They have people on the PGAT side who have been running golf for years. I don’t see the PIF heads setting rules for tournaments/players at all. Does this make sense?

PIF won't be involved in day-to-day operations or running tournaments. But I'm sure they'll be involved in larger strategic decisions. For example, I'm guessing they'll want an event or two in Saudi Arabia. Maybe they will want a feeder tour based in Saudi Arabia. I bet deciding what happens to players who left for LIV is another thing. 

[saevel25]

9 minutes ago, DeadMan said:

I bet deciding what happens to players who left for LIV is another thing. 

It think it is a high probability that the LIV players get left out to dry. They could have just been pawns by the Saudi's to get to this point. It could be, they will be left up to the PGA Tour to decide the outcome.

[DeadMan]

5 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

It think it is a high probability that the LIV players get left out to dry. They could have just been pawns by the Saudi's to get to this point. It could be, they will be left up to the PGA Tour to decide the outcome.

There has to be a way back for LIV players. If LIV goes away, and all the major tour ban LIV golfers indefinitely, there will be another antitrust lawsuit by LIV players, and it will have a much higher probability of success. Fines, suspensions, or anything else short of a total ban could be in the cards. A total ban isn't going to happen.

Plus, if you're PIF, do you want a pissed-off Phil running his mouth?

[Elmer]

4 hours ago, Dr. Manhattan said:

the new indoor simulator league. 

If the LIV format wasn't a winner, this will surely be a good replacement!

[saevel25]

9 minutes ago, DeadMan said:

There has to be a way back for LIV players. If LIV goes away, and all the major tour ban LIV golfers indefinitely, there will be another antitrust lawsuit by LIV players, and it will have a much higher probability of success. Fines, suspensions, or anything else short of a total ban could be in the cards. A total ban isn't going to happen.

If I was the PGA Tour, I would write up a new players contract before LIV players come back. I would wipe clean the exemptions for winning tournaments of any non-current PGA Tour player, and get rid of the LIV player PGA Tour cards. Then require them to go through Q-School or get sponsor exemptions to play. Force them to start over like they are a brand new PGA Tour player. You are now at year zero. 

[Elmer]

 

And so it begins......

US government prepares to look into LIV-PGA merger amid sportswashing claims | Golf | The Guardian

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A US senator is demanding the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s LIV Golf present records about the negotiations that led to their planned merger

 

[Missouri Swede]

8 hours ago, DeadMan said:

There has to be a way back for LIV players. If LIV goes away, and all the major tour ban LIV golfers indefinitely, there will be another antitrust lawsuit by LIV players, and it will have a much higher probability of success. Fines, suspensions, or anything else short of a total ban could be in the cards. A total ban isn't going to happen.

Plus, if you're PIF, do you want a pissed-off Phil running his mouth?

If you're Phil, do you want a pissed-off PIF?  I believe he said something like "these are some scary mf-ers to get involved with."

[May Jonahan]

6 minutes ago, Missouri Swede said:

If you're Phil, do you want a pissed-off PIF?  I believe he said something like "these are some scary mf-ers to get involved with."

Phil has no credibility whatsoever. He’ll say anything or do anything for an easy buck. He only joined LIV to pay off his gambling debts 

[chspeed]

4 hours ago, Elmer said:

 

And so it begins......

US government prepares to look into LIV-PGA merger amid sportswashing claims | Golf | The Guardian

---

A US senator is demanding the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s LIV Golf present records about the negotiations that led to their planned merger

 

Ugh. Just what we need. In what universe is this an important enough topic for Congress to get involved? I want my money back.

Edited June 12, 2023 by chspeed

[boogielicious]

1 hour ago, chspeed said:

Ugh. Just what we need. In what universe is this an important enough topic for Congress to get involved? I want my money back.

Agree, Congress is a bit much. But the DOJ does get involved in cases involving monopolies, so there is some precedent.

[phillyk]

I got this in an email this evening from my PGA Section. So many people confuse the two. Sad that this had to be sent out. But hopefully people start to use the names properly more often.