Liv Golf Central Thread: Events and News

[ZJBogey2]

5 minutes ago, TBS said:

Fair point here - to keep this thread positive, what would you like to see in LIV golf? Remove the Saudi aspect, how could a rival tour make pro golf a better product for the viewers?

Mic'd caddies or players. Team dynamic like a Ryder Cup/College golf is interesting as something different. On course interviews. 

[RickyBobby_PR]

12 minutes ago, bens197 said:

You may be right. Time will certainly tell. 

I think it already has. DJ not being in the masters due to injury was a blip on the radar, his return the next year and there was a mere mention of him missing the year before because of injury, the attendance and viewership didn’t drop as a result of his absence.

If he withdraws from a tournament or doesn’t play in one for whatever reason ticket sales aren’t affected. He isn’t drawing the fans to the course.

Now granted nobody has had the affect on attendance like Tiger woods has but DJ isn’t seeking out the house. Then again most of the bigger names aren’t unless it’s Phil or Tiger. Rahm, Rory, DJ, Koepka all big names with some influence but their absence amongst a top 20-35 field of players doesn’t change much at an event 

[ZJBogey2]

21 minutes ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

I think it already has. DJ not being in the masters due to injury was a blip on the radar, his return the next year and there was a mere mention of him missing the year before because of injury, the attendance and viewership didn’t drop as a result of his absence.

If he withdraws from a tournament or doesn’t play in one for whatever reason ticket sales aren’t affected. He isn’t drawing the fans to the course.

Now granted nobody has had the affect on attendance like Tiger woods has but DJ isn’t seeking out the house. Then again most of the bigger names aren’t unless it’s Phil or Tiger. Rahm, Rory, DJ, Koepka all big names with some influence but their absence amongst a top 20-35 field of players doesn’t change much at an event 

I dont think the Masters is a fair comparison. Regardless of who plays and who doesn't, the attendance and viewership wont be impacted. 

He must move the needle in some way because I would venture to bet any tournament he has played in the last 2 years, he has been in either the Thurs/Fri Marquee group or a Featured Group. He also moves the needle for merchandise sales and sponsorships as he is a marquee TaylorMade athlete. Tiger is the needle, but otherwise, DJ is one of the few such as Spieth that is going to draw more eyes than not. 

[ZJBogey2]

Just now, ZJBogey2 said:

I dont think the Masters is a fair comparison. Regardless of who plays and who doesn't, the attendance and viewership wont be impacted. 

He must move the needle in some way because I would venture to bet any tournament he has played in the last 2 years, he has been in either the Thurs/Fri Marquee group or a Featured Group. He also moves the needle for merchandise sales and sponsorships as he is a marquee TaylorMade athlete. Tiger is the needle, but otherwise, DJ is one of the few such as Spieth that is going to draw more eyes than not. 

I think this is also evident by the PGA's PIP results...DJ was 7th. 

[LICC]

32 minutes ago, TBS said:

Fair point here - to keep this thread positive, what would you like to see in LIV golf? Remove the Saudi aspect, how could a rival tour make pro golf a better product for the viewers?

Whether another tour or the PGA Tour, the only other format that I would like to see would be a mixed team match play with the LPGA involved. Let's see Lydia Ko and Jordan Spieth against Lexi Thompson and Bryson, Nelly Korda and Justin Thomas against Jessica Korda and Jon Rahm. That would be fun. 

Everything else just seems gimmicky just for a change. There already is a match play event every year and does it really make it more compelling? And TV networks don't like the risks involved with straight match play events. 

The issue with setting up groups in teams is there is no real connection. It is different for the Ryder Cup and Solheim and others where players are there for their country, or the college events where players are obviously connected by the college team. Just a random team grouping isn't as interesting.

[GolfSpy_APH]

31 minutes ago, ZJBogey2 said:

PGA doesn't want the competition and to adapt...the conflicting events of the Canadian Open, John Deer, and Rocket Mortgage are not flagship events. This could have been an opportunity for the Tour to experiment with different formats while top players got a significantly higher payday at the LIV events. The other LIV events conflict with the wrap-around season events that most top names don't play in anyways. This could be a win win for golf if we got to see the top players play more often. 

That could be that they are up against lesser events. Altho any national open i think is important. 

However if they play These LIV events would that mean they don't play the week before or after? Especially if it is not in the US, the travel my mean they back out of other events.

It has a potential to effect other events not just the ones they are opposite of.

I will say John Deere is a dud so we can all pass on that one.

[LICC]

7 minutes ago, ZJBogey2 said:

I think this is also evident by the PGA's PIP results...DJ was 7th. 

How much of that was Paulina? ...

[ZJBogey2]

2 minutes ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

That could be that they are up against lesser events. Altho any national open i think is important. 

However if they play These LIV events would that mean they don't play the week before or after? Especially if it is not in the US, the travel my mean they back out of other events.

It has a potential to effect other events not just the ones they are opposite of.

I will say John Deere is a dud so we can all pass on that one.

Very true! I would have scheduled it different if I was LIV...

• swapped the Boston event with London since US Open is shortly after. 
• London in place of Portland before the Scottish and Open

 

Given the format, they may be more inclined to play multiple weeks in a row if shorter events. Will be interesting to see what happens. 

[ZJBogey2]

Just now, LICC said:

How much of that was Paulina? ...

Does it matter? The point is they're driving eyeballs. Outside of the Brooks/Bryson feud, would either of them ended up in the top 10 otherwise, maybe? 

[LICC]

1 minute ago, ZJBogey2 said:

Very true! I would have scheduled it different if I was LIV...

• swapped the Boston event with London since US Open is shortly after. 
• London in place of Portland before the Scottish and Open

 

Given the format, they may be more inclined to play multiple weeks in a row if shorter events. Will be interesting to see what happens. 

The PGA Tour has never given an approval for a competing event in the US, but they have sometimes for non-US events. I'm guessing LIV wanted the first one in London because of that.

[Vegan_Golfer_PNW]

this tweet in response to a tweet about lexi thompson playing in here 16th US open at the age of 27 rubs me the wrong way. I don't think ill be watching their league anytime soon if they want to spread politics and propoganda.

https://twitter.com/LIVgolflnv/status/1532027710515593217?s=20&t=abk81dsgfMQzUmW24fty6Q

[LICC]

1 minute ago, ZJBogey2 said:

Does it matter? The point is they're driving eyeballs. Outside of the Brooks/Bryson feud, would either of them ended up in the top 10 otherwise, maybe? 

I was half joking. But it would be interesting to see if her posts that have nothing to do with golf contribute to his PIP rating.

[RickyBobby_PR]

18 minutes ago, ZJBogey2 said:

I dont think the Masters is a fair comparison. Regardless of who plays and who doesn't, the attendance and viewership wont be impacted. 

He must move the needle in some way because I would venture to bet any tournament he has played in the last 2 years, he has been in either the Thurs/Fri Marquee group or a Featured Group. He also moves the needle for merchandise sales and sponsorships as he is a marquee TaylorMade athlete. Tiger is the needle, but otherwise, DJ is one of the few such as Spieth that is going to draw more eyes than not. 

You don’t think that there’s a dip when Tiger isn’t invoked or is? Also compare the coverage of DJ when he’s not in a tournament compared to tiger or Phil and when they return.

DJ is boring, he rubs most people the wrong way. He is a big name like many others but the needle they move isn’t that big. DJ didn’t have a clothing line specific to him from adidas or a shoe from them. There’s no signature DJ putter or club. No DJ logo. 
 

I’ve been to pga events where dj has been there and was out on the range hitting balls and the number of people watching him hit balls wasn’t that big. 
 

DJ not being in any event has little to no impact on ticket sales. Again if you out DJ in a group with 2 no name tour players his following wouldn’t be that big and the fans would still follow other groups over DJ.

 

[ZJBogey2]

15 minutes ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

You don’t think that there’s a dip when Tiger isn’t invoked or is? Also compare the coverage of DJ when he’s not in a tournament compared to tiger or Phil and when they return.

DJ is boring, he rubs most people the wrong way. He is a big name like many others but the needle they move isn’t that big. DJ didn’t have a clothing line specific to him from adidas or a shoe from them. There’s no signature DJ putter or club. No DJ logo. 
 

I’ve been to pga events where dj has been there and was out on the range hitting balls and the number of people watching him hit balls wasn’t that big. 
 

DJ not being in any event has little to no impact on ticket sales. Again if you out DJ in a group with 2 no name tour players his following wouldn’t be that big and the fans would still follow other groups over DJ.

 

I'm not sure of the point here...comparing anyone to Tiger isnt a fair comparison as Tiger IS the needle. Ok, replace DJ with anyone's else name not named Tiger and it would be the same answer (outside of MAYBE Spieth and that isn't even close?). There is also no Rahm, JT, or Rory logo/line. Well, DJ does have his own limited putter (https://www.taylormadegolf.ca/DJ-Limited-Putter/M7044127.html?lang=en_CA)...I imagine others have had something similar along the way. 

I think your statement is the same regardless of the top name you put in there in place of DJ...Rahm with 2 no name players isnt going to grab as big of a crowd as a marquee group with 3 big names...but he is still going to draw more eyes than not and be a bigger draw then 95+% of other tour players. I'm more likely to watch an event with DJ than not DJ. And if I get to watch Rory at the Candian and DJ at LIV the same weekend, awesome as a viewer! 

 

 

[LICC]

5 minutes ago, ZJBogey2 said:

I'm not sure of the point here...comparing anyone to Tiger isnt a fair comparison as Tiger IS the needle. Ok, replace DJ with anyone's else name not named Tiger and it would be the same answer (outside of MAYBE Spieth and that isn't even close?). There is also no Rahm, JT, or Rory logo/line. Well, DJ does have his own limited putter (https://www.taylormadegolf.ca/DJ-Limited-Putter/M7044127.html?lang=en_CA)...I imagine others have had something similar along the way. 

I think your statement is the same regardless of the top name you put in there in place of DJ...Rahm with 2 no name players isnt going to grab as big of a crowd as a marquee group with 3 big names...but he is still going to draw more eyes than not and be a bigger draw then 95+% of other tour players. I'm more likely to watch an event with DJ than not DJ. And if I get to watch Rory at the Candian and DJ at LIV the same weekend, awesome as a viewer! 

 

 

I think Bryson had a curiosity factor for a while that was a draw unto himself. Excepting Tiger, I think an individual player can be a singular draw only during a hot streak. Brooks for a while, Spieth for a while. I think Rory sometimes affects ratings even if he isn't on a heater. But otherwise no one else will be a singular ratings mover when they aren't playing on an extended hot streak.

Edited June 1, 2022 by LICC

[LICC]

6 minutes ago, ZJBogey2 said:

I'm more likely to watch an event with DJ than not DJ. And if I get to watch Rory at the Candian and DJ at LIV the same weekend, awesome as a viewer! 

Interesting in that DJ makes almost no difference to me in whether I would watch or not. The players that catch my attention to watch are Rory, Justin Thomas, sometimes Spieth and Morikawa, obviously Tiger, Phil, sometimes Brooks. Rahm is another one that just doesn't excite me to watch. 

[MGoBlue100]

1 hour ago, DaveP043 said:

I'd be interested to hear the arguments from the players.  They've made a contract with the PGA Tour, they've broken that contract, but they don't want to face the discipline for breaking the contract that's spelled out in the contract they've made.  Yes, they are independent to an extent, they're also contractors in that they've agreed to a contract.  Both are important, in my mind.

This is only a guess, but I'd bet that the discipline for a single offense is relatively small, perhaps a short suspension.  I don't think the PGA Tour is likely to go beyond what the contract with the players specifically allows for.

I don't disagree with you that they've all signed up for the tour and know (or should know) what that entails.  That said, if they get "banned" or "suspended", I don't expect them to keep silent about that fact, and I also expect there will be some legal action.  Whether it's successful or not is another question.  As I mentioned, the attorneys will get rich for certain.

[MGoBlue100]

1 hour ago, Shankster said:

This is a pretty sour thread to read.  I’m out.  

I'm just here today for the DJ hate; I knew there'd be PLENTY of it. 

[DaveP043]

1 minute ago, MGoBlue100 said:

I don't disagree with you that they've all signed up for the tour and know (or should know) what that entails.  That said, if they get "banned" or "suspended", I don't expect them to keep silent about that fact, and I also expect there will be some legal action.  Whether it's successful or not is another question.  As I mentioned, the attorneys will get rich for certain.

You and I may not ever know what the players have agreed to, unless it comes out during a lawsuit.  However, I wouldn't be surprised if a short suspension might be in the agreement, with increasing terms of suspension for repeated violations.  A "lifetime" ban seems unlikely to be included in those documents, although a player COULD be penalized by losing all "rights" that he's earned through past participation or success on the tour.  They COULD have to go back to the Korn Ferry Tour to qualify for the top tour.  Or get through Monday qualifying, or depend on sponsor invitations.  Let's be clear, this is pure speculation on my part, but that type of escalating "punishment" seems reasonably likely to me.

As you say, and I agree completely, someone will try to sue.  It happens regularly, people or companies filing a lawsuit to get out of contracts that they signed willingly yesterday, yet find inconvenient today.

[MGoBlue100]

55 minutes ago, Vegan_Golfer_PNW said:

this tweet in response to a tweet about lexi thompson playing in here 16th US open at the age of 27 rubs me the wrong way. I don't think ill be watching their league anytime soon if they want to spread politics and propoganda.

https://twitter.com/LIVgolflnv/status/1532027710515593217?s=20&t=abk81dsgfMQzUmW24fty6Q

That's a "parody" account not associated with LIV Golf.