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Journalism of Courage
The PGA Tour with the DP World Tour (formerly known as the European Tour) have been the predominant golf circuits in the world for the last several decades. The two, especially the US league, are considered the holy grail for golfers around the world.
But now, their monopoly is set to be challenged and it is Saudi money that’s behind the possible upheaval.
What’s happening?
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which bankrolled the takeover of English Premier League club Newcastle United last year, has proposed a much bigger Asian Tour, at least in monetary terms. The investment of more than $300 million in the venture will have 10 events, larger guaranteed sums for the players, limited fields, 54-hole tournaments with no cuts, and team competition.
Former World No. 1 Greg Norman has been appointed CEO of LIV Golf Investments, the Saudi-backed company that is trying to lure the highest-profile golfers from the two bigger tours with exorbitant sums. Many of them have joined the venture and even signed Non-Disclosure Agreements.
Why is this development significant?
It threatens the hegemony of the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. The two provide the biggest prize money and boast of the biggest names in the game competing on the most hallowed golf courses in the world, but they cannot compete with the seemingly- unlimited Saudi coffers. The new venture, scheduled to start next month in Thailand, is short on detail as yet, but already there is an event lined up in England, at the proverbial heart of the old order, that too in the week preceding the US Open, one of golf’s four Majors. Going beyond the Asian geographical boundaries shows that the fight is for control of the game and challenging the status quo. Norman, meanwhile, insists that the main motivation is to “grow the game of golf.” He adds that “this is just the beginning” and “we’re in this for the good of the game.”
What is there in it for the elite players?
According to six-time Major winner Phil Mickelson, “pretty much every player in the top 100 in the world has been contacted.”
With the sums of money reportedly being offered to join the new venture, it’s no surprise that many golfers will be willing. The PGA Tour doesn’t offer appearance money (other circuits do, to attract big names), and missing the cut deprives them of a share of the prize money. But here, there is a promise of guaranteed pay-outs. Many of the players approached may be in their late 40s or even early 50s and may not have too many years left at the top. They would be tempted to make the most of any big pay day.
Even though they may be affiliated with one or more tours, professional golfers don’t consider themselves employees but ‘independent contractors’, hence are free to play wherever returns are highest.
Mickelson, one of the greats of the game, has several complaints about the way the PGA Tour treats its players, regardless of the impressive prize money.
“The players don’t have access to their own media. If the Tour wanted to end any threat, they could just hand back the media rights to the players. But they would rather throw $25 million here and $40 million there than give back the roughly $20 billion in digital assets they control. Or give up access to the $50-plus million they make every year on their own media channel,” he told Golf Digest.
“There are many issues but that is one of the biggest. It’s not enough that they are sitting on hundreds of millions of digital moments. They also have access to my shots – access I do not have. They also charge companies to use shots I have hit.”
The market-disrupting world of NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) and sports collectibles, which now include “video highlights”, also adds intrigue to ownership of these TV footage rights. Bryson DeChambeau sold four NFTs of his own, but a marketplace for golf holds huge potential.
The PGA Tour players are also required to seek permission to appear at competing events, and Mickelson says all these stipulations reek of “greed beyond obnoxious.”
How have the established tours reacted?
Not much in the form of official reaction, but there’s talk of player bans, and keeping those who join the new venture out from the Ryder Cup, one of the biggest and most followed events in the game, as both players and future captains.
Also, the two big tours have tried to increase prize money to keep their flock together. The PGA Tour has started the Player Impact Programme, which rewards golfers for favourably influencing fans and followers on social media. It’s considered a bid to placate their most high-profile assets from looking elsewhere.
What has been the response from the upstarts?
LIV Golf Investments is talking a good fight. Though there’s not much clarity about their plans, Norman insists “of course, there are going to be things announced in the future. Our mission is to make sure this platform is firmly cemented in the world of golf… We want to get the message out there that it’s not specifically for the Asian region, and that’s critically important for everybody to understand.”
The Australian, a two-time Open champion, also took on those attacking the intentions of the promoters of the new league.
“It’s disappointing to see some of the attacks that have been taking place unwarrantedly. If you pre-judge anybody without knowing the facts, then shame on you,” he retorted.
What have been the bigger concerns about the new venture?
The Saudi government has, of late, invested a lot of money in sport – football, motorsport, boxing and even WWE – to spruce up its image. Critics who flay the kingdom’s allegedly poor human rights record and blame the ruling family for the death of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, call this phenomenon ‘sportswashing’. The proposed golfing league is seen as another such attempt.
The players who are keen on joining the new venture are quick to point out that they are “not a politician” and free to pick up big cheques for their sporting prowess.
One has seen something similar in the cricket world during the 1970s in the form of Kerry Packer’s World Series. It staged rebel matches parallel to official ones before being co-opted into the fold.
It remains to be seen how the fight to control the fairways and greens plays out.
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