“They’ve got TV contracts all over the world.”
Viewership of their events live and via TV have not met LIV expectations, and even in the Middle East the DP World tour has more tournaments, viewers, sponsors via the emirates outside of Saudi Arabia. Saudis new venture is a swing against the “pipsqeek” emirates for outrunning them in golf for years.
For the PGA Championship Koepka did win but only one other LIV player was in the top five - Bryson; not “half” the top five finishers, as with ties for 4th there were six altogether that finished in the “top five” places; and LIV players did not account for 1/4 of the whole field. The same with the Masters tournament.
Doesn’t matter if it was meeting expectations. They had billions to throw in.
The merger includes DP World. Emirates got out run.
Less than 1/4 of the field. 3 of the top 6 at the Masters, 2 of the top 6 at the PGA and the win. All for the tour that the PGA insisted didn’t play “real” golf and the players wouldn’t be able to keep up. Plus of course you’ve got the issue that the Masters probably was going to be changing their entry requirements to keep LIV players available. Thus further weakening the PGA’s “not real” line.
Anybody that’s paid attention to competing leagues in sports has seen this show before. PGA was making all the wrong moves. All the moves the losers have made in the past. Until they made the smart move and took the cash now.