OT: LIV Golf and PGA Merge

[Obliviax]

The PGA Tour has agreed to merge with Saudi-backed rival LIV Golf in a deal that would see the competitors squash pending litigation and move forward as a larger golf enterprise.

The two entities signed an agreement that would combine the PGA Tour and LIV Golf’s commercial businesses and rights into a new, yet-to-be-named for-profit company. The agreement includes DP World Tour, also known as the European PGA Tour.

 

[Obliviax]

Dang....It will be interesting to hear Brandle Chamblee's take.

 

[bvillebaron]

Dang....It will be interesting to hear Brandle Chamblee's take.

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Well that didn’t take long.

 

[Obliviax]

Well that didn’t take long.

Golf Channel is must see TV tonight. After calling LIV bloodsucking murderers for a year and a half, they are going to have to find a way to embrace it all. I am not saying I disagree but Brandle was over-the-top IMHO. Like US corporate/govt money was any clearer than Saudi Arabia's.

 

[knickslions]

Wonder how the guys that didnt leave feel about not getting their bag of money like LIV players did. Interesting to see how this progresses

 

[LandoComando]

Every golfer that didn't go to LIV looks completely foolish--especially those that bashed them for taking the money.

 

[knickslions]

 

[LandoComando]

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lmao--great tweet

 

[LionDeNittany]

The PGA Tour has agreed to merge with Saudi-backed rival LIV Golf in a deal that would see the competitors squash pending litigation and move forward as a larger golf enterprise.

The two entities signed an agreement that would combine the PGA Tour and LIV Golf’s commercial businesses and rights into a new, yet-to-be-named for-profit company. The agreement includes DP World Tour, also known as the European PGA Tour.

It's tough to see who relented in this merger without more details.

LIV was losing a lot of money. But if they got a decent percentage of the PGA Tour it was worthwhile.

On the other hand, the PGA tour could be considered the victor here if LIV just decided the money wasn't going to work.

LdN

 

[bvillebaron]

It's tough to see who relented in this merger without more details.

LIV was losing a lot of money. But if they got a decent percentage of the PGA Tour it was worthwhile.

On the other hand, the PGA tour could be considered the victor here if LIV just decided the money wasn't going to work.

LdN

In what universe could this be viewed as a “win” for the PGA? Seriously.

 

[LionDeNittany]

In what universe could this be viewed as a “win” for the PGA? Seriously.

Not sure if you are serious but I will take it you are.

LIV has unlimited resources. They could have kept this going until the PGA Tour was dead and gone.

Btw the PGA and PGA Tour are different entities.

LdN

 

[ram2020]

Golf Channel is must see TV tonight. After calling LIV bloodsucking murderers for a year and a half, they are going to have to find a way to embrace it all. I am not saying I disagree but Brandle was over-the-top IMHO. Like US corporate/govt money was any clearer than Saudi Arabia's.

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Yes, I keep thinking "so the PGA is now cool with the Saudis? Everyone else too" The Saudis are now going to sit on the PGA board? Just so disingenuous from the beginning. Phil actually comes out looking great. I had hear Mohnahan had run the PGA like the mob. These LIV guys actually changed the way the PGA pays and treats their players, if anything, the guys that stayed in the PGA should buy them all a rolex judging by how much money the PGA was all of a sudden able to find for them

 

[Obliviax]

It's tough to see who relented in this merger without more details.

LIV was losing a lot of money. But if they got a decent percentage of the PGA Tour it was worthwhile.

On the other hand, the PGA tour could be considered the victor here if LIV just decided the money wasn't going to work.

LdN

I totally agree, from a business standpoint. But the PGA folks, the Golf Channel, was calling LIV "blood money" and taking money from the 9-11 terrorists and evoking Jamal Khashoggi. Those things can't be covered in a "well, we got better business terms and so the killing of Jamal Khashoggi is ok" broad-brush.

 

[LionDeNittany]

I totally agree, from a business standpoint. But the PGA folks, the Golf Channel, was calling LIV "blood money" and taking money from the 9-11 terrorists and evoking Jamal Khashoggi. Those things can't be covered in a "well, we got better business terms" broad-brush.

Oh for sure. But that's a different topic altogether.

When LIV launched, the PGA Tour had a decent chance of disappearing altogether within 5 years.

Probably 50%.

The PGA Tour was located near where I lived a few years ago. It was poorly run and ready to be closed.

LdN

 

[Obliviax]

Oh for sure. But that's a different topic altogether.

When LIV launched, the PGA Tour had a decent chance of disappearing altogether within 5 years.

Probably 50%.

The PGA Tour was located near where I lived a few years ago. It was poorly run and ready to be closed.

LdN

I can't agree with that at all. I can see and argument that it could have been run better but the PGA tour was a cash machine.

PGA Tour Reports 37% Increase in Revenue During 2021

The PGA Tour generated $1.59 billion in revenue in 2021, a 37% increase year-over-year, according to its 2021 tax filings.

frontofficesports.com

 

[OaktonDave]

It's tough to see who relented in this merger without more details.

LIV was losing a lot of money. But if they got a decent percentage of the PGA Tour it was worthwhile.

On the other hand, the PGA tour could be considered the victor here if LIV just decided the money wasn't going to work.

LdN

It will be interesting to see what remains of the actual LIV tour. The Saudis are bringing a lot of money to the table and the players are being brought back into the fold, but will there be any LIV or LIV-like (54 holes, teams, etc.) events? LIV just had an event in the DC area, and the attendance was only slightly better than a Korn Ferry event.

 

[LionDeNittany]

I can't agree with that at all. I can see and argument that it could have been run better but the PGA tour was a cash machine.

PGA Tour Reports 37% Increase in Revenue During 2021

The PGA Tour generated $1.59 billion in revenue in 2021, a 37% increase year-over-year, according to its 2021 tax filings.

frontofficesports.com

A lot of things are cash machines when there is no competition.

Here we are two years later and the PGA potentially had to limp into a merger deal with LIV.

 

[LionDeNittany]

It will be interesting to see what remains of the actual LIV tour. The Saudis are bringing a lot of money to the table and the players are being brought back into the fold, but will there be any LIV or LIV-like (54 holes, teams, etc.) events? LIV just had an event in the DC area, and the attendance was only slightly better than a Korn Ferry event.

I think LiV was dying quickly.

Overall a bad investment.

 

[Obliviax]

A lot of things are cash machines when there is no competition.

Here we are two years later and the PGA potentially had to limp into a merger deal with LIV.

I agree from that standpoint. This is a massive black eye for the PGA. MASSIVE. they look like total idiots. And I am not a fan of nor did I support LIV. I suspect that the law suits between the two were not going well. It actually makes sense to merge the two: US Based Tour with a secondary initiative to bring in other parts of the world. But the "this is blood money" stance makes them look like complete liars and/or total sell-outs.

 

[LionDeNittany]

I agree from that standpoint. This is a massive black eye for the PGA. MASSIVE. they look like total idiots. And I am not a fan of nor did I support LIV. I suspect that the law suits between the two were not going well. It actually makes sense to merge the two: US Based Tour with a secondary initiative to bring in other parts of the world. But the "this is blood money" stance makes them look like complete liars and/or total sell-outs.

And they are. Completely agree.
Look for them to do something very PR like soon.

Like announce Tiger Woods the first African American head of the PGA Tour with Barack Obama as a special advisor.

 

[The Spin Meister]

So when is the first “Super Bowl of Golf” between LIV champions and PGA champions?

 

[OaktonDave]

I think LiV was dying quickly.

Overall a bad investment.

This looks like a case where the parties found a way for all of them to declare victory. The players get the benefit of changes that were driven by LIV's presence. The Saudis get everything they wanted from LIV only better without losing money. The PGA and DP tours get a major influx of cash and no longer have to worry about losing players to a rival. All that stuff they said about each other in the process is quickly forgotten.

 

[PSU Soupy]

Was Koepka's win at the PGA one of the driving forces to merging the tours?.....if so it may have been one of the most important golf tournaments ever played.........

 

[Obliviax]

So when is the first “Super Bowl of Golf” between LIV champions and PGA champions?

That would be a heck of an event but I have no idea who would represent the PGA. For LIV, you've got Dustin johnson, Phil and Brooks.

For the PGA, Rory and John Rahm (neither from the USA). You can plug in Speith, Justin Thomas and Scottie Scheffler but they haven't been very vocal.

 

[Obliviax]

Was Koepka's win at the PGA one of the driving forces to merging the tours?.....if so it may have been one of the most important golf tournaments ever played.........

Great question. I think his win cemented him a position on the Ryder Cup Team and that was the big stick the PGA had. But other top LIV players would also qualify but their LIV record didn't count. The PGA is even more exposed if one of the big LIV players wins and also qualifies. I guess, last week, the issue was Sergio Garcia. He wouldn't qualify unless he won a major because his LIV stuff doesn't count. yet, he is a mainstay on the Ryder Cup and there is great energy in wanting to keep Spanish players involved (with John Rahm) in the tradition of Seve and Olazabal.

 

[bvillebaron]

Yeah that would “fix” everything. LOL.

 

[The Spin Meister]

That would be a heck of an event but I have no idea who would represent the PGA. For LIV, you've got Dustin johnson, Phil and Brooks.

For the PGA, Rory and John Rahm (neither from the USA). You can plug in Speith, Justin Thomas and Scottie Scheffler but they haven't been very vocal.

Just invite the winners of each event. Or top two if you need the numbers.

Could end up like Ryder event with the two leagues facing off similar to how the NFL and AFL merged and formed the Super Bowl.

 

[bvillebaron]

I think LiV was dying quickly.

Overall a bad investment.

So LIV has unlimited resources and could keep going until the PGA Tour was dead and gone but also was a bad investment which was “dying quickly”.

 

[Obliviax]

Just invite the winners of each event. Or top two if you need the numbers.

Could end up like Ryder event with the two leagues facing off similar to how the NFL and AFL merged and formed the Super Bowl.

They could call it something like "the World Masters", "PGA/LIV Championship" or "The ****ing Open".

 

[The Spin Meister]

They could call it something like "the World Masters", "PGA/LIV Championship" or "The ****ing Open".

Be honest. Call it the For All the Money Cup

 

[Obliviax]

and

 

[Obliviax]

 

[Obliviax]

Wow, amazing. The Chairperson of the Board is Yasir Al-Rumayyan, a Saudi.

I wonder how the woman's tour feels.

 

[Obliviax]

Vicious.

 

[ncgolfer]

What a humiliating loss of face for the PGA and many of their name calling stooges like Brandel Chamblee……

Chamblee……..”any yielding to or agreement with [LIV] is a deal with a murderous dictator”.

 

[Obliviax]

What a humiliating loss of face for the PGA and many of their name calling stooges like Brandel Chamblee……

Chamblee……..”any yielding to or agreement with [LIV] is a deal with a murderous dictator”.

I like Chamblee. Best hair and adult dresser in the biz! But I don't know how he recovers from this, in terms of his career.

 

[ncgolfer]

I like Chamblee. Best hair and adult dresser in the biz! But I don't know how he recovers from this, in terms of his career.

The PGA just pulled the rug out from underneath a bunch of people who took a hard stance against LIV golf. Starting with Chamblee. But also including McIlroy, Tiger and Jack Nicklaus. I don’t know how the PGA saves face here. Or credibility. They’ve left many of their supporters twisting in the wind defending them on moral grounds. They look (in my eyes) like complete money grubbers now.

 

[LionDeNittany]

So LIV has unlimited resources and could keep going until the PGA Tour was dead and gone but also was a bad investment which was “dying quickly”.

Yes.

Both can be true.

 

[Obliviax]

The PGA just pull the rug out from underneath a bunch of people who took a hard stance against LIV golf. Starting with Chamblee. But also including McIlroy, Tiger and Jack Nicklaus. I don’t know how the PGA saves face here. Or credibility. They’ve left many of their supporters twisting in the wind defending them. They look (in my eyes) like complete money grabbers now.

Yep. Jack took a good stance last week during the Memorial. he said the LIV players took a different path and simply don't exist in terms of the PGA tour and the Memorial. Smart but still leaves him looking back just two days after his event.

But to your point, The chairman is a Saudi with the old PGA guy being CEO. Just think about where this puts Rory, Tiger and Speith. PGA asked for loyalty, got it, then abandoned them. Phil comes off looking like a genius.

 

[ncgolfer]

Yep. Jack took a good stance last week during the Memorial. he said the LIV players took a different path and simply don't exist in terms of the PGA tour and the Memorial. Smart but still leaves him looking back just two days after his event.

But to your point, The chairman is a Saudi with the old PGA guy being CEO. Just think about where this puts Rory, Tiger and Speith. PGA asked for loyalty, got it, then abandoned them. Phil comes off looking like a genius.

Phil and the other PGA players who took those HUGE signing bonuses are looking like fat cat geniuses now. The Saudi Wealth Fund reportedly poured 2 billion into LIV golf. I’m really curious if that level of funding is going to continue. Despite the hypocrisy for the PGA that would be a MASSIVE infusion of money into this merger going forward.