OT: In no surprise Dustin Johnson chases Saudi cash

[Obliviax]

It's not. It's a sport, which isn't a business. Which like other sports is constantly and tirelessly tried over and over to turn into a business by non-sports sycophants. It often works monetarily and momentarily but what you end up with is irrevocably broken cycle of bullshit for everyone who actually loves and supports that particular sport.

i disagree. it is a business. it is in the entertainment business. The PGA couldn't care less who wins, that changes every year. When that winner is gone, they are gone. They just turn to the next big-name moneymaker. And that is how they got into trouble...they stopped listening to the players and made them vulnerable to LIV. Its their own darned fault.

 

[lowhandicapper]

i disagree. it is a business. it is in the entertainment business. The PGA couldn't care less who wins, that changes every year. When that winner is gone, they are gone. They just turn to the next big-name moneymaker. And that is how they got into trouble...they stopped listening to the players and made them vulnerable to LIV. Its their own darned fault.

That's the Phil Mickleson version.
Now do the Tiger Woods version.
LIV is nothing but Saudi cash, see it for what it is.

 

[Obliviax]

That's the Phil Mickleson version.
Now do the Tiger Woods version.
LIV is nothing but Saudi cash, see it for what it is.

hmmm...not really. The players got fed up with how the PGA required them to attend certain events or be penalized. The player then is under pressure from their sponsors. The top end players simply had way too many obligations between non-tour and family events. Don't forget, the tour started in Feb and didn't end until the fall.

Regardless, competition makes everyone and everything better.

LIV Golf players air some of their grievances with the PGA Tour | Opinion

Several players who have made the jump to LIV Golf opened up about some of their issues with the PGA Tour.

www.usatoday.com

 

[lowhandicapper]

hmmm...not really. The players got fed up with how the PGA required them to attend certain events or be penalized. The player then is under pressure from their sponsors. The top end players simply had way too many obligations between non-tour and family events. Don't forget, the tour started in Feb and didn't end until the fall.

Regardless, competition makes everyone and everything better.

LIV Golf players air some of their grievances with the PGA Tour | Opinion

Several players who have made the jump to LIV Golf opened up about some of their issues with the PGA Tour.

www.usatoday.com

Its not gonna work out well if we start posting opinion pieces.
I actually know some of these guys, I'll pass on the content based op-eds.
I mean yeah people who make millions of dollars are under pressure from the shareholders, sponsors, board of directors, etc. When American Express sponsor's you to the tune of 1.8 million a year to wear their logo when you play, yeah you have to play a few rounds with some chops that are important to their business, kiss a few rings and go to few cocktail parties.

 

[Obliviax]

Its not gonna work out well if we start posting opinion pieces.
I actually know some of these guys, I'll pass on the content based op-eds.
I mean yeah people who make millions of dollars are under pressure from the shareholders, sponsors, board of directors, etc. When American Express sponsor's you to the tune of 1.8 million a year to wear their logo when you play, yeah you have to play a few rounds with some chops that are important to their business, kiss a few rings and go to few cocktail parties.

Fair enough...so it all comes back to money.

If I am making $100m a year on golf and various options from golf, I've got options. They have a lot of pressure from a lot of different areas. If I am approached by a Saudi national who is willing to give me that $100m and give me a lot more time with my family, I am in. I really don't stop to think "what would the CEO of the PGA tour think or the CEO of AmEx think?" These guys are paid to win golf matches. Nobody ever went to Lefty and said "hey Lefty, I saw you came in second by two strokes and realize we contributed to that but having unreasonable demands and the lack of course maintenance caused you to miss a stroke on 15 so we are going to give you and additional $10m to make up for it and award you points toward the FedEx cup."

As Norm on Cheers said "its a dog-eat-dog world out there and I am wearing milk bone underwear". They had better options than the PGA tour and took them. Case closed. Good for them. Now it up to the PGA to react.

 

[Obliviax]

Sportswashing: https://www.news9live.com/sports/fo...ano-ronaldo-to-prop-up-game-in-country-209990

Great article. As a fan of the Cleveland Indians, watching good player after good player free agent out to big city/big money teams, welcome to my world.

Renaldo is 37 by the way

 

[Obliviax]

looks like LIV is going to land a contract for TV in the USA on The CW Network.

LIV Golf on Verge of Announcing TV Deal with CW Network - Sports Illustrated Golf: News, Scores, Equipment, Instruction, Travel, Courses

TV deal would fill a major objective for LIV Golf, which has previously been streamable only on Youtube and its own website.

www.si.com

 

[MohawkLion]

looks like LIV is going to land a contract for TV in the USA on The CW Network.

LIV Golf on Verge of Announcing TV Deal with CW Network - Sports Illustrated Golf: News, Scores, Equipment, Instruction, Travel, Courses

TV deal would fill a major objective for LIV Golf, which has previously been streamable only on Youtube and its own website.

www.si.com

Right in between One Tree Hill and The Flash?

I have no sympathy for guys cashing in on the Saudi money. The only thing the PGA should maybe do is restructure the way the FedEx cup points are accumulated, but I don’t know what the solution is there. LIV is turning golf into pro euro football. Where teams pay hundreds of millions just for the rights to sign a player to a contract worth hundreds of millions. All from Russian and Arabian oil money. Biggest difference, golf is not soccer/futbol or f1 on the world stage. This model of overpaying for everything golf just doesn’t seem sustainable unless the Saudis have no issue operating in the red for the foreseeable future.

 

[LandoComando]

Right in between One Tree Hill and The Flash?

I'm impressed someone has watched the CW enough to know two shows
I actually like the concept of LIV but I know I'm in the minority

 

[roswelllion]

I'm impressed someone has watched the CW enough to know two shows
I actually like the concept of LIV but I know I'm in the minority

I am with you. LIV is great. Go for it as long as it lasts. If it folds the PGA would be stupid to not welcome them back. There are more guys I rooted for and against on the LIV tour than the PGA. It is getting very bland. Who has won the last 3 PGA events i haven't even watched.

 

[LafayetteBear]

SIAP, but FLAG.

 

[Obliviax]

Right in between One Tree Hill and The Flash?

I have no sympathy for guys cashing in on the Saudi money. The only thing the PGA should maybe do is restructure the way the FedEx cup points are accumulated, but I don’t know what the solution is there. LIV is turning golf into pro euro football. Where teams pay hundreds of millions just for the rights to sign a player to a contract worth hundreds of millions. All from Russian and Arabian oil money. Biggest difference, golf is not soccer/futbol or f1 on the world stage. This model of overpaying for everything golf just doesn’t seem sustainable unless the Saudis have no issue operating in the red for the foreseeable future.

IDK, they are professional golfers who are not bound to a team. They go where they can make the most money.

we can complain about SA all we want but the USA has done that and worse (read up on Assange or the Twitter files). The notion of who is good and who is bad depends upon perspective. USA long ago gave up the "high road" on that. And if someone thinks they should be "loyal" to the PGA, they've long made recommendations and the PGA simply ignored them. Competition makes everyone better. LIV will make PGA better, over the long run.

 

[Marylovesthelions]

Many PGA pros attack the new league, but their recent increase in PGA payouts wouod not have been made without the new competition.

 

[dailybuck777]

t is a business. it is in the entertainment business.

Sort of entertainment business. I grew up on golf courses and played junior tournament golf. Golf is generally boring to watch. It becomes excellent when giants are dueling against each other or the scorecard or something very unusual happens. Nicklaus v Watson. Johnny Miller shooting a 63 to win the US Open. Tiger Woods chasing Jack Nicklaus record or winning Masters after long lay off. As pure entertainment golf ranks low on list. It is the pursuit of excellence and the competition against long established historic records that generates real interest. LIV golf is just a gimmick that will die when the Saudis decide to stop throwing money at it.

 

[Cletus11]

A lot of Saudi money out there all over the place. The new prince is looking outward where to spend money and that is in all things (real estate, production plants, private equity, etc..) including sports. I think the Saudi's are fine burning through cash on LIV for a few years to see where it leads, this isn't the XFL or USFL that is surviving on nothing. And as we have seen, most golfers are going to go after the money of the LIV versus staying with the PGA as ultimately there is no allegiance to the PGA if LIV is going to pay them the same or more money.