2023 PGA tour thread

[Flabbibulin]

Seems like Jon Rahm to LIV is happening- probably for the biggest dollar amount handed put yet by LIV. Mcilroy's sudden departure from the PGA Tour policy board is concerning too. A possible big FU to Jay Monahan might be on the way?

[jayswin]

I don't understand, the Saudi's own everything now, why would they still be paying hundreds of millions to make LIV a competitor to the PGA which they also own?

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by Flabbibulin

Seems like Jon Rahm to LIV is happening- probably for the biggest dollar amount handed put yet by LIV. Mcilroy's sudden departure from the PGA Tour policy board is concerning too. A possible big FU to Jay Monahan might be on the way?

Rory is moving back to Europe. I don't believe there is more to it than that.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by jayswin

I don't understand, the Saudi's own everything now, why would they still be paying hundreds of millions to make LIV a competitor to the PGA which they also own?

Sure but there's no guarantee there will ever be a unifying merger. The deal could still fall apart. It still has to pass the US Senate I think.

Also, it’s a show of force to get the PGA tour to concede on terms. Like “if you don’t give us what we want then we’re just going to keep coming after your players with more and more money”. Or a US tv contract.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Scenes when Tiger joins the Champions Tour and it becomes easily the biggest tour in golf. Cause it would, from a TV perspective.

[Strange Brew]

He would hardly play, if at all.

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by jayswin

I don't understand, the Saudi's own everything now, why would they still be paying hundreds of millions to make LIV a competitor to the PGA which they also own?

It's impossible to comprehend what the whole arrangement is/was, but Saudi's never got ownership of the PGA Tour. PGA Tour is remaining a separate non-profit organization. It seems that Saudi's will provide some funding to the PGA Tour in exchange for having ownership of a new for profit entity that includes some rights to PGA Tour adjacent business. And then there is the part of the PGA Tour having control over how liv continues.

There seems to be a lot of in-fighting amongst the top pga players about how this played out and some are trying their best to distance themselves from others, so who knows how it will all play out. I doubt the big bonuses are still there for Rahm or any others, but they may just go for spite. I'm skeptical of the Rahm to liv rumours, and could see Cantley/Xander going, but anything can happen as it is now.

[jayswin]

I hope cantlay goes. His personality is as boring as his stupid face. ****ing 5 minute routine for every shot.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Sounding more and more like Rahm is off for $400 million. Between this situation and Tiger likely retired I give it by the end of the decade before non-major/Ryder Cup televised golf is basically dead.

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Sounding more and more like Rahm is off for $400 million. Between this situation and Tiger likely retired I give it by the end of the decade before non-major/Ryder Cup televised golf is basically dead.

Based on what?

[Roughneck]

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/usg...-december-2023


Rumour of a ball rollback announcement next week


Probably the easiest thing to do to try and deal with 'outgrowing courses', whether it's the best I'm not so sure.

[Flabbibulin]

To hell with both LIV and PGAtour

[Jason14h]

Official

https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id...-tour-liv-golf

[DoubleK]

#philwasright

[Strange Brew]

Money talks.

A sad day for fans of the sport, guys getting paid to essentially retire and play an occasional meaningful tournament.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Based on what?

More top guys joining LIV doesn't change two important facts:

- A significant amount of people will never support LIV under any circumstances. It doesn't matter if they have all of the top players there are more than enough people who've said they'll never support it. Whether you personally agree or not is your choice, but their ratings are terrible for a reason.

- Speaking of ratings, even if they add the entire top 50 players the product remains abysmal to most people, hence why their ratings stink like the rankest of feces. Even now there's only one player who single handily brings in casuals, and Tiger is basically done. Rahm is more of a big loss for the PGA than a meaningful get for LIV. Rahm is a great player, but within the entirety of the sports landscape, is not even close to a star. He will not bring any meaningful increase in interest in LIV, except in Spain, I guess?

Now since it does dilute the PGA product further, and as surely more guys will bail for the money, fans will simply stop caring about the PGA, while never watching LIV. So televised golf is just in a death cycle pretty much. I get that you are a golf diehard and will watch any golf, but golf long term can't sustain, and definitely cannot grow, on diehards only. This whole episode has turned off a lot of people, and lest we forget golf is not the NFL, it's a niche sport. A niche sport getting fractured sounds like a recipe for disaster.

[nfotiu]

TV ratings are generally trending up for the pga tour even in the face of cord cutting etc. TV deals are up, and golf participation is up. It's mostly in a healthy state. Losing Rahm isn't going to move the needle much. But it does bring a big question about who is next, and if the merger is still on, and if it is not, then what?

If everyone signicant does go to liv, I think you're right. No one is going to watch that format.

[dirk diggler]

you are correct, Rahm going there doesnt move the needle that much. we are going to watch the Farmers in January, would have liked Rahm to be there but doesnt change the way i feel about going.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Money talks.

A sad day for fans of the sport, guys getting paid to essentially retire and play an occasional meaningful tournament.

Writing was on the wall when they announced the merger.
At this point you're going to be playing for the Saudi's anyway, might as well take a huge pay cheque.
Or wait a couple years, don't get $450M and play for them anyway.

[Strange Brew]

Agree with all the points above.

Liv is not going to be a product that attracts fans so this just sucks.

Sounds like Liv is seeing possibility of PGA taking on a different equity partner so they're flexing their muscles here.

Personally I'd love for PGA to cancel their arrangement with Liv and try to ride out this war with some PE money.