Rahm also discusses this week’s season-ending team championship at The Cardinal in Plymouth.
Rahm also discusses this week’s season-ending team championship at The Cardinal in Plymouth.
A long-time and well-known member of the Michigan golf-media scene has had his credential revoked by LIV Golf ahead of this week’s team championship at The Cardinal at Saint John’s Resort in Plymouth Township.
Bill Hobson, host of the syndicated television show “Michigan Golf Live” and a podcast personality, was initially approved for a credential for the tournament, set for Friday through Sunday. But after he recorded an interview with former LIV Golf player and current broadcaster Pat Perez, and then published the podcast, LIV Golf informed him Tuesday afternoon that he was no longer getting access to media-designated areas during the championship.
Hobson said LIV Golf was not happy with two of the questions he asked Perez during the 20-plus-minute podcast, including about the controversy behind the 4-year-old tour’s funding ― which comes from the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, a nation notorious for human rights violations and, notably, a history of disdain for a free press. Hobson also asked Perez about the tumultuous tenure of original LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman, the World Golf Hall-of-Famer who was replaced earlier this year.
Perez engaged on both topics, which made up a small percentage of the entire podcast, which focused mostly on Perez’s experience with LIV Golf, and its maiden voyage into Michigan this week.
“It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy, talking about the lack of freedom ― talking about the lack of tolerance, all of the things that regime is known for plays a factor in what just took place,” Hobson told The Detroit News in an interview Tuesday. “And it’s super unnecessary. You talk about unforced errors, goodness gracious.
“In 26 years, I’d like to think that I’ve developed a reputation for being very fair. I’m probably overly bland more than I am controversial. … I had no desire whatsoever to have anything come out of this except for a fun conversation with a guy I find interesting, and that’s what I thought we had.
“When I do screw up, I’m pretty quick to say, ‘Hey man, I’m sorry.’ That didn’t happen here.”
LIV Golf did confirm that Hobson, 57, a broadcaster since his teen-age years who lives in the Saginaw area, did have his media credentials revoked. LIV Golf and Hobson confirmed that LIV Golf offered him free grounds passes for the week ― LIV Golf termed it “revising” Hobson’s access, he said ― but those passes would essentially be fan tickets with no media access to ask questions of tour officials or players, like Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson, Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka. Hobson declined those passes; he won’t be attending the tournament.
LIV Golf, which has revoked media credentials in the past, declined to say who in the organization decided to pull Hobson’s credentials. Media access begins Wednesday, and top players will speak to the media Thursday.
When asked about Hobson’s credential being revoked, LIV Golf did provide a statement to The News:
“LIV Golf values open and honest dialogue with media partners and has welcomed a wide range of perspectives since our inception. We are committed to working with journalists who approach interviews with fairness, integrity, and respect for the players and the sport.”
Sent a follow-up question from The News, Ilana Finley, chief communications officer for LIV Golf, responded: “We’ve shared all that we plan on providing on this topic.”
The issues between Hobson and LIV Golf seemed to stem from early June, when LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neill addressed the Detroit Economic Club at The Cardinal. LIV Golf made O’Neill available for a short interview with Hobson, who was hosting a radio show for WJR 760-AM. Hobson asked O’Neill multiple questions, including one about the controversy surrounding LIV Golf’s funding.
Still, LIV Golf approved a credential for Hobson to cover the team championship, arguably its crown-jewel event.
Then, last week, Hobson secured an interview with Perez, known as a funny and affable personality, through a request with Outlyr, a public-relations firm contracted by LIV Golf to help with the team championship media obligations. Hobson has long known the Outlyr rep, who also works LPGA tournaments in Grand Rapids and Midland.
Perez did the interview Friday, over the phone from Indianapolis, site of last week’s LIV Golf tournament. A short while later, Hobson said, the rep from Outlyr called, concerned with some of the topics Perez talked about. Hobson edited the interview slightly, to remove some profanity by Perez, but posted the podcast Sunday morning to his “Fore Golfers Network” platform.
Hobson said he then began fielding a flurry of texts and calls from Outlyr and LIV Golf officials, who asked him to edit out those questions. He refused. They then, Hobson said, offered to get him another guest if he pulled down the podcast. He refused. They then, Hobson said, demanded the podcast come down, and suggested credentials could be revoked if he didn’t. Again, Hobson declined. His credentials were officially revoked Tuesday. Denying media credentials is not uncommon; revoking them after they are granted is much more rare.
“LIV (Golf) has a history of contentious dealings with journalists that don’t often make sense in terms of the bigger picture of access to the golfers and the tour,” said Joanne Gerstner, a professor of sports journalism at Michigan State who worked at The Detroit News for 10 years and has written for PGA Magazine. “Obviously, (LIV Golf is) a private entity. They can credential who they want.
“But they don’t have a right to go back and demand journalists remove content or tailor content to the way the tour wants. That’s not journalism. That’s public relations.”
Hobson has a unique job, in that it’s part journalism and part not. For his “Michigan Golf Live” TV show, which is in its 26th year and features course reviews from throughout the state and airs on FanDuel Sports Network Detroit, Chicago Sports Net and on YouTube, he does receive payment from the courses. Earlier this year, he did an episode from The Cardinal, with Saint John’s paying him for the exposure.
Hobson’s other work, including the podcast, is considered to be more journalism, as he regularly talks to newsmakers in the industry. He was not paid by LIV Golf to do the Perez podcast, nor would he have accepted payment had they offered, he said. Asked what he considers himself, Hobson said “media member,” not journalist.
Still, he has covered more than 100 professional golf events throughout the state and country, and this is the first time he’s ever had a credential revoked, he said.
Hobson said he was given some suggestions on topics to talk about with Perez, and he hit on all of those, he said. But Hobson said he never agreed on a pre-approved list of questions. (A sampling of questions from media members to PR reps isn’t uncommon; agreeing to stick to said topics is considered a no-no for the media.) Hobson said there was nothing off-topic.
Hobson even texted with Perez after LIV Golf began asking for the podcast to be turned down. Perez responded in a text, before Hobson’s credential was revoked: “It’ll be fine. I don’t think you were antagonizing in any way. You are entitled to your opinions and thoughts.”
Hobson has been a long-time critic of LIV Golf, mostly because of the funding source ― players who defected from the PGA Tour to LIV Golf for huge paydays have been loudly criticized, given Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who controls the purse strings for the PIF, is widely believed to have ordered the assassination of Washington Post journalist and Saudi Arabia government critic Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.
Hobson said he felt it was a responsibility to make his stance clear to Perez during the podcast, for fear of being labeled hypocritical by anyone who already knew his admitted negative stance on the rival golf league. Hobson also told Perez he was looking forward to seeing LIV Golf in person, because that’s the only way to fairly assess the league’s merits, Hobson said. Now, he’s not going.
“I’m kind of the most harmless guy with a microphone in the business, I think,” said Hobson, whose podcast on average gets a few hundred views, with the most popular creeping into the thousands ― modest figures for sure, he acknowledged. “Now, on a podcast that normally is heard by not very many, they are treating it like it’s Joe Rogan or Adam Carolla. It goes to the overall paranoia to the whole thing.
“I encouraged people to go to the tournament and see for themselves what it’s like, and this is how they react.
“I have no interest in being another PR arm for the LIV tour.”
Instead, Hobson now plans to take his grandson to the zoo this weekend.
“Which will be slightly less wild,” said Hobson, “than what’s happening this week (at The Cardinal).”
On page 2 of its four-page media accreditation policy, LIV Golf states: “Editorial Independence: For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in the present terms and conditions (or in any other document referred to herein) is intended to be, or shall be interpreted as, undermining or in any way restricting the editorial independence of Credential Holders or the party or parties on behalf of whom they are covering LIV Golf League events, or restricting or preventing the exercise of normal journalistic activities in respect of those events, including expressions of views or comments.”
tpaul@detroitnews.com
@tonypaul1984
