After months of speculation and controversy, the breakaway LIV Golf tour is officially underway, with its inaugural tournament in London throwing the present and future of professional golf into complete disarray. All of sudden, the PGA’s effective monopoly is no more, and despite the boatload of practical and moral questions surrounding the rival LIV Series – which is funded by the Saudi Arabian government – its launch has profoundly reshaped the landscape of the sport.
Written & Narrated by: Jonah Birenbaum (@Birenball | Twitter)
Produced and Edited by: Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni | Twitter)
Thumbnail Design by: Justin Shipley (@shipleysportstudio | Instagram)
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39 Comments
fantastic. This reminds me of when the NCAA faced no threats until the players started figuring out they could earn good money not going to Uni. Force those hands baby!
Oh please, the West doesn't give a shit about "human rights". Look at what they did in Afghanistan, Iraq, they're silent about what's happening in India to the Muslims and other minorities, etc.
Two things that I love:
1. The perception of Saudia Arabia by 9/11 victims. The US-Government has this ally for decades in the Middle East and suddenly citizens are bothered? Most of you need a Bootcamp in recent history…
2. We've had a similar case in Europe with the UEFA and the planned super league. This was started by the clubs itself (or at least planned) in order to generate more revenue streams. The UEFA was outraged, just like the media as it would ruin football. The bottom line with all of these organizers is, that they don't own the sport but pretend they do.
LIV format sucks. If it wasn’t for the money not one single top golfer would join.
This destroys any argument in favour of LIV Golf
America acting like they have any sort of morality, what an absolute joke.
The US and the Brits have been murdering people by the thousands in the Middle East the last 20 years……just saying. Im sure all those innocent people who had a bomb or Obama drone drop on their head have a different opinion about the west.
RIP PGA Tour!! Hahaha!!!
Wasn’t it Dolly Parton who wrote a catchy little Country & Western number about Jays situation…..
Golf LIV golf LIV golf LIV golf Liiv
I’m begging of you
Please don’t take my men
Please don’t take them
Just because you can ….
They talk about you in their sleep
and there’s nothing I can do to keep ,
from crying when they call your name Golf LIV…..
Good opportunity for Rickie Fowler…
I'll stop taking Saudi money when the USA stop taking Saudi oil 🛢
This is the new Caddyshack,,with LIV as Rodney Dangerfeild,,and the PGA is Ted Knight…
Professionals play for money. Until now, the only route to big money was the PGA Tour and, from what I've seen, the Tour wants to keep its monopoly on big money golf so it has its media sycophants – most notably on the Golf Channel – keeping up a constant drone of anti-LIV propaganda. IMO, if the PGA Tour had simply granted the waivers for its members to play in some LIV tournaments, There would have been some media criticism but the LIV would have been just a curiosity. But, that twit Jay Monahan decided to declare war and the LIV has gotten more publicity than I could have imagined. The LIV offers the kind of guaranteed money that the PGA Tour can't so, is it any wonder Tour players are defecting? IIRC, the LIV has come to agreements with both the Euro DP Tour and the Asian Tour, so it would be in the best interests of the PGA Tour to come to a settlement with the LIV, though that would likely require someone with intelligence and sense, so Jay Monahan would probably have to go. It's in the best interests of the game for the Tour and the LIV to coexist, not be at war with one another.
PS The Golf Channel is becoming tiresome with that douchebag Brandel Chamblee on his high moral horse about Saudi money being "dirty money" and the rest of those talking heads singing the praise of the Jay Monahan and the PGA Tour. You mean, there is not 1 voice of disagreement there, not 1 kind word for the LIV? Well, it should be apparent to all that it should probably rename itself the PGA Tour Propaganda Channel, that would be more accurate.
USA is quite authoritative and oppressive to its own and to other governments too.
Dont be naive.
The US was founded on slavery, the subjugation of women and colonization of native Americans. It invades, occupies, bombs and colonizes internationally every day. Until 1963 the Masters was played in Augusta, Georgia under Jim Crow law where black people couldn't use the same bathroom as the white spectators. Gotta love using government human rights abuses as an argument against a golf league.
Oh no!!
Anyways….
There’s enough space
Let's be honest this doesn't concern the public that watch golf. The PGA will eventually allow all LIV players to compete ones they realise the potential loss they will gain loosing major players. Look from a pro players point of view you're top 100 in the world and if you finish under 30 or 40 in a PGA competition you getting very little earnings. Where as with LIV you walk away with 120k if you finish last. So from a players point of view it's a win win you still play against the best in the world and earn way more money. Also the fact that the Americans are bringing up Saudi Arabia politics or past mistakes as if the American government is "perfect"
Never knew Rory was such a bitter left field little b….oy
+11 #karma
Thas so awesome the US OPEN is allowing those guys to play in the tournament. That alone is awesome. I came up through the mini tour era. I myself and so many of my lifelong golf colleagues have to dish out so much money to get event to event. Hotels all that. Hard to get sponsors at that level also. Money licks. It's survival. Love of the game. So I'm happy these guys are getting paid. 200 million for Phil is bye bye PGA tour grind. Hello kick back
Saudis should fund a new mma league, pay the fighters good and end dana white
Is the US government sleeps with the Saudis why can’t the American Golfer?
this reminds me of wwe vs wcw
It's interesting how all the people in this comment section are trashing the PGA tour now. You've been watching PGA tour events for decades, and supporting their sponsors, thus contributing to their "monopoly", but no one heard you complaining about the PGA Tour's "monopoly" then. My argument is this – if a player signs up to be a PGA Tour member, he is bound by the conditions of membership. Don't like the conditions? Don't sign the agreement, and don't accept a PGA Tour card.
like america has not perpetuated human rights abuses all over the world…. get off your high horse
LIV is a series of exhibitions. Players are free to join just as a talented basketball player can either play in the NBA or play for the Harlem Globetrotters. In other words play a real sports league or a clown show.
Anyone who wishes to sell their soul to the highest bidder should have the freedom to do so.
– — the question is how long will Saudi support a losing LIV Golf? With massive prize money and paltry sales tickets, LIV Golf is unsustainable unless Saudi is willing to take the loss and continue financially supporting it.
Bring down FIFA and FIA monopoly as well.
If the PGA Is so against countries that ignore Human Rights Why don’t they ban all clothing and golf equipment being used by golfers that ordinates in the sweat shops in China
The Forbes Athlete list this year will basically just be the LIV roster.
Why does everyone see the Saudis as bad terrible people just because their way of life and culture so vastly differs from our own? If anything, the progress the KSA have made in reaching out to the world through sport makes me feel good about the future of the middle east.
PGA monopoly being challenged by LIV …..
The Middle East is rich in culture but for decades it has being buying Western Culture, that never works, you can’t buy someone else’s culture and as a result they are ruining sport. A winter World Cup for starters. Sport should always be about a level playing field and fair competition, it’s all about money now, pure entertainment. It’s sad really.
All players and caddies of the pga, lpga, asian and european tours.Should be paid $100 million each.With all tournament winings & sponorship dollars going to charities.And the many volunteers of these events.
I swear, Trump is upturning all the apple carts. Dude is going to be super dupa rich by time he’s done.
Are western corporations or non sport professionals blasted in the same way. No. Half the construction professionals and corporations involved in the red sea and neom construction development are western. So at what point does one get judged for taking a paycheck.
PGA is done hahah. So funny they are literally shook haha!!
When is LIV hosting the Khashoggi Cup Tournament?