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

[70sSanO]

The problem I have with the lawsuit is that the top 30 PGA Tour players can’t show up and play a LIV event.

If a contractual agreement, (that requires playing a certain number of LIV events) is necessary, it is difficult to see a difference between a LIV player playing a selective PGA Tour event and a PGA Tour player playing a selective LIV Tour event.

This is not about how much LIV would jump at it, it is more about what each competing tour (competition is so ugly in anti-trust) requires of their contracted players to participate in an event.

I would think the lawsuit would hold a lot more weight if the LIV Tour were being prevented from operating, or prevented players from playing in a LIV event, by the PGA Tour.  It would seem hard to determine any damages to players who are now able to continue with their livelihood and receiving a higher compensation.

John

 

[70sSanO]

On 8/3/2022 at 4:38 PM, phillyk said:

Nope. My buddy eats every word of it. He thinks PGA Tour is about to fail and disappear, to be replaced by LIV. He thinks LIV is better at growing the game than the PGA Tour. He thinks Nike is the same as SA. I’ve given up with it. He is so obsessed with money, that he is blind to all else. 

I don’t know who your buddy is, but I’m guessing he ain’t getting any of the Saudi money anyway.

I read an article where someone with LIV golf described the current golf viewer demographics.  I don’t remember the exact ages and percentages, but current viewers are primarily old and that in 25 years the majority of the viewership will be dead.

I wonder if any of this really matters over time.  Except for those who are being paid to play, will it really change the millions who play golf and don’t watch.

I do a lot of cycling.  I’ll watch some highlights of the Tour de France; even I can’t watch 5 hours of peddling.  But the disparity between professional cyclists and people who ride bikes, and don’t care about the pros, is probably off the charts.

Golf might go the same way.

John

[Friz]

Let's say hypothetically they win this case.  PGA tour players have to play a minimum of 15 events to keep cards.  LIV players are moving to a 14 tournament schedule next year, plus 11 events on the Asian tour they're expected to play in some of.  So at a minimum these guys are going to need to play somewhere around 32 to 35 weeks every year to do both.

In a worst case scenario...does this just work itself out in a year or two with the LIV guys not able to keep up with both?  

[Shindig]

1 minute ago, Friz said:

Let's say hypothetically they win this case.  PGA tour players have to play a minimum of 15 events to keep cards.  LIV players are moving to a 14 tournament schedule next year, plus 11 events on the Asian tour they're expected to play in some of.  So at a minimum these guys are going to need to play somewhere around 32 to 35 weeks every year to do both.

In a worst case scenario...does this just work itself out in a year or two with the LIV guys not able to keep up with both?  

Then the big winners in that situation are Ian Poulter's family, who get rid of him for 32 to 35 weeks a year.

[Vinsk]

Just a stack of douche bags. All of ‘em.

[DeadMan]

1 hour ago, Friz said:

In a worst case scenario...does this just work itself out in a year or two with the LIV guys not able to keep up with both?  

I think the worst case scenario is the big names like JT, Rory, or Spieth playing in LIV events because they know they won't be banned. If that happens, the PGA Tour will start circling the drain fast.

[Big Lex]

3 hours ago, 70sSanO said:

I would think the lawsuit would hold a lot more weight if the LIV Tour were being prevented from operating, or prevented players from playing in a LIV event, by the PGA Tour.  It would seem hard to determine any damages to players who are now able to continue with their livelihood and receiving a higher compensation.

John

 

Could LIV file an antitrust action? Can they argue that the PGA Tour's actions are in restraint of trade and prevent or limit LIV's operations? 

[DeadMan]

6 minutes ago, Big Lex said:

Could LIV file an antitrust action? Can they argue that the PGA Tour's actions are in restraint of trade and prevent or limit LIV's operations? 

Yes. LIV has a slam dunk antitrust case against the PGA Tour, based on what's in the lawsuit filed by the LIV players. 

[Vinsk]

DL3 spoke well on this. Norman is a self serving, greedy SOB.

[70sSanO]

1 hour ago, DeadMan said:

Yes. LIV has a slam dunk antitrust case against the PGA Tour, based on what's in the lawsuit filed by the LIV players. 

So I guess everything is being run through you and you have already reviewed all the PGA Tour’s internal documents.

John

[70sSanO]

One thing I do know is that, depending how this plays out, it could be a PR disaster for the suing players and the Saudis.

I am surprised that the Saudis haven’t stepped in and squashed this since it is player (Norman) driven and it is hard to see the sports washing benefit.

In the end it will be the Saudi government being party to suing an American (PGA Tour) organization.  It could backfire spectacularly.

John

 

[The Flush]

 

 

 

 

[cutchemist42]

Been seeing many Twitter opinions but there is some legit anti competitive practise on the record in that suit, to some of the smaller businesses that help setup events.

[GolfLug]

9 hours ago, 70sSanO said:

One thing I do know is that, depending how this plays out, it could be a PR disaster for the suing players and the Saudis.

I am surprised that the Saudis haven’t stepped in and squashed this since it is player (Norman) driven and it is hard to see the sports washing benefit.

In the end it will be the Saudi government being party to suing an American (PGA Tour) organization.  It could backfire spectacularly.

John

 

Very astute. 

[hunterdog]

21 hours ago, Friz said:

Let's say hypothetically they win this case.  PGA tour players have to play a minimum of 15 events to keep cards.  LIV players are moving to a 14 tournament schedule next year, plus 11 events on the Asian tour they're expected to play in some of.  So at a minimum these guys are going to need to play somewhere around 32 to 35 weeks every year to do both.

In a worst case scenario...does this just work itself out in a year or two with the LIV guys not able to keep up with both?  

I haven’t seen anything that the Saudi players have agreed to a 15 event minimum for the PGAT. In fact, everything suggests that they want to play in only select events, like the Memorial and Bay Hill. And, of course, the season ending FedEx events.

[Vinsk]

 

[Shindig]

1 hour ago, hunterdog said:

I haven’t seen anything that the Saudi players have agreed to a 15 event minimum for the PGAT. In fact, everything suggests that they want to play in only select events, like the Memorial and Bay Hill. And, of course, the season ending FedEx events.

Doubly too bad for them that the FedEx events are for Tour members, and membership requires (among other things) participating in at least fifteen events.

4 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

 

Of all people to take advice from about the final quarter of your playing career, the man whose final quarter of tournaments had the tendency ... well, we all know.

[Friz]

2 hours ago, hunterdog said:

I haven’t seen anything that the Saudi players have agreed to a 15 event minimum for the PGAT. In fact, everything suggests that they want to play in only select events, like the Memorial and Bay Hill. And, of course, the season ending FedEx events.

They already have agreed to it, part of being a PGA Tour member is an agreement to play a minimum of 15 events each season.  If they're suing to be allowed to play PGA Tour events, under the idea that they're still PGA Tour members, then they'd have to play a minimum of 15 events to continue being a member.

So they either play 15 events on PGA Tour plus 14 events for LIV plus 5 or 6 Asian Tour events as part of their LIV obligation....or they have to drop one of the tours.