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

[chspeed]

I know we're not supposed to talk politics in a vacuum, but this really relates to the PGAT.

If He Who Shall Not Be Named is in any way significant way involved in the PGAT, I personally will stop watching. For me, that's a bigger issue than Saudi blood money.

[boogielicious]

25 minutes ago, chspeed said:

I know we're not supposed to talk politics in a vacuum, but this really relates to the PGAT.

If He Who Shall Not Be Named is in any way significant way involved in the PGAT, I personally will stop watching. For me, that's a bigger issue than Saudi blood money.

I don’t think he is at all. Also, I don’t think this deal would have happened if Greggy was involved either. They kicked him aside. He will try and claim he helped and got what he wanted, but the reality is the opposite. SA used his ego to start this thing and they have sponsorship now of the PGAT and DP world league. It was never Greggy’s intention to build a great world league. He just wanted to stick it to the PGAT. I think the PGAT came out on top but had to take money from SA, which is what saddens me the most.

[klineka]

30 minutes ago, chspeed said:

I know we're not supposed to talk politics in a vacuum, but this really relates to the PGAT.

If He Who Shall Not Be Named is in any way significant way involved in the PGAT, I personally will stop watching. For me, that's a bigger issue than Saudi blood money.

Him? 🤣

[iacas]

1 hour ago, jbishop15 said:

Rory's comments are such a bummer, and such unbelievable spin. As a "golf league" it wasn't that interesting or noteworthy -- a bunch of guys took a golden parachute into retirement golf. The issue is that the Saudi's were the only source of funding, which meant getting into bed with their vile politicians. Rory knows that, or at least I hope he does. Though, I guess, it's worse -- knowing better and still doing the wrong thing. 

I hate this so much. 

I do as well, but at the same time if you are Rory, what are your options? Retire? I mean, he could. But it’s basically retire, playing only the majors, or continue to play golf.

[Beastie]

1 hour ago, chspeed said:

I know we're not supposed to talk politics in a vacuum, but this really relates to the PGAT.

If He Who Shall Not Be Named is in any way significant way involved in the PGAT, I personally will stop watching. For me, that's a bigger issue than Saudi blood money.

Voldemort??

40 minutes ago, klineka said:

Him? 🤣

Well now I have egg on my face, late to the party again

[boogielicious]

58 minutes ago, klineka said:

Him? 🤣

Big Hitter Tom Riddle.

[iacas]

This reminds me of how Formula One works. In racing, the FIA owns the F1 series and determines the rules, and U.S.-based Liberty Media owns the commercial rights, and sets the schedule, sells TV rights, sponsorships and the like under a franchise granted by the FIA, which gets a percentage of the revenue.

The New Company (maybe they'll come up with a name soon) will own the commercial rights to the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf. The still-existing PGA Tour Inc. will run tournaments, etc., as will the DP World (European) Tour. LIV, I'm not sure, nor am I sure if current TV rights will be transferred to the New Company, but it seems so. The Saudis (PIF) will own a chunk of it, along with PGA Tour Inc. and the Euros, and pour money in to get that chunk, percentage unannounced.

The tricky part is the foreign ownership, whether Saudis or not. Will companies working with the Tour (from TV outlets to tournament owners) have to register under the Foreign Agent Registration Act? The phrase in the act: “any of whose activities are directly or indirectly supervised, directed, controlled, financed, or subsidized in whole or in major part by a 'foreign principal.'  An individual or entity can become an “agent” even without a contractual relationship or formal agreement with a 'foreign principal.'

[iacas]

[StuM]

19 hours ago, turtleback said:

Monahan pledged that he would be completely transparent, in his first presser as Tour Commissioner, and now I'm hearing that this has been the works for 7 weeks without any players knowing about.  I don't see how he survives.

I have a sense some LIV players may have known something.  Some pulled out of the cases against the PGAT in the last few weeks.  I find that curious.

[iacas]

3 minutes ago, StuM said:

I have a sense some LIV players may have known something.  Some pulled out of the cases against the PGAT in the last few weeks.  I find that curious.

It's been reported that seven people knew about this. Greg Norman didn't even know. They pulled out because it wasn't important that they stay on - the PIF and LIV were still in the lawsuit.

Not because they knew about this.

[iacas]

[boogielicious]

15 minutes ago, iacas said:

I feel the same way as Rich.

[StuM]

1 hour ago, iacas said:

It's been reported that seven people knew about this. Greg Norman didn't even know. They pulled out because it wasn't important that they stay on - the PIF and LIV were still in the lawsuit.

Not because they knew about this.

I missed that, been trying to catch up.

[boogielicious]

Here’s Rory’s full interview. Per him, LIV has nothing to do with it. Around the 4:30 mark. LIV is not part of the deal.

More around 8:30 about player anger and the LIV Players and confidence in Moynihan. Doesn’t look like the LIV players will be welcomed back with open arms.

Around 12:00 mark, “I hate LIV”.

[iacas]

 

14 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

Here’s Rory’s full interview. Per him, LIV has nothing to do with it. Around the 4:30 mark. LIV is not part of the deal.

More around 8:30 about player anger and the LIV Players and confidence in Moynihan. Doesn’t look like the LIV players will be welcomed back with open arms.

Around 12:00 mark, “I hate LIV”.

He doesn’t know much more than anyone else though.

[jbishop15]

15 hours ago, iacas said:

I do as well, but at the same time if you are Rory, what are your options? Retire? I mean, he could. But it’s basically retire, playing only the majors, or continue to play golf.

His options definitely suck, I agree. Not really any good answers when the questions are this bad. I guess I'll just say that taking a stand on principles bigger than golf and then relenting on that stand by saying it's now only about what is good for golf really aggravates me. 

I think, too, where I am bumping on all of this is that I don't really care about how this impacts professional golf, because it's not going to make professional golf any better no matter the outcome. It's still going to be awash in commercials and short-sighted decisions, run by guys who want to make it easier and easier for the top players to cash in. The reason to oppose LIV and the Saudis wasn't out of loyalty to the PGA Tour, because the PGA Tour sucks -- it's because the Saudis are terrible.

I'm obviously not breaking any new ground here, just venting. 

[DeadMan]

This is an interesting article that goes against the idea that the PIF and Saudis have unlimited money to invest in golf forever:

The Rest Of the Story: The Overlooked Saudi Sand Trap Behind the Golf Treaty

---

The hidden risk to the PGA-LIV combination? Saudi money is not as limitless as it may seem.

 

[saevel25]

15 hours ago, iacas said:

I do as well, but at the same time if you are Rory, what are your options? Retire? I mean, he could. But it’s basically retire, playing only the majors, or continue to play golf.

Yep. This is why I do not like binary choices in life. It isn't that easy. Some will say, just leave. If all you know is golf, and you are his age, WTF are you going to do? It's hard to re-invent yourself. 

20 minutes ago, jbishop15 said:

I guess I'll just say that taking a stand on principles bigger than golf and then relenting on that stand by saying it's now only about what is good for golf really aggravates me.

It is easy to stand on the sideline and say, "Take the high road Rory!" We do not know his finances, his personal life, we are not him. It isn't like he has control of his thoughts, feelings, and instincts about this whole thing. If Rory decides to play golf, I will not fault him at all. He has to make a living. It is very hard to re-invent yourself and move onto a 2nd phase of your life. Ask Tiger Woods. The man should have retired after that car accident. He thinks he still has fuel in the tank and can make a comeback. 

By the looks of it, Rory dropped out of HS to pursue his golfing career. At the end, when he has to weight, if I quit golf what will I do versus continue to play. I think continue the play will win out.