OT: Nats, Wiz, O's, Ravens, Terps, Navy, Gtown, Mystics, Golf, Summer 2024 (Paris Olympics 2024 as well)

[g00n]

Just heard on GC that the team format was not working for LIV and they weren't getting the corporate interest in that format they anticipated. I think they were failing and still trying to put lipstick on the pig while seeking a back room deal the whole time.

Lack of attention to details in DC recently suggested to me they were reaching the end of their love-bombing phase. I didn't know if they were going to fold or what. A merger was not on my radar...not this season, anyway.

 

[g00n]

Here's a question: when does this take effect and what happens to the money already paid to the LIV players? Does it count toward future winnings on the PGA Tour? Should be some interesting contractual gymnastics.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

Supposedly this was all done in secret with only a handful of people at the top, so the players had no idea this was coming. Most found out via Twitter.

PGA Tour will have majority stake so it's a compromise by LIV, which was probably the goal all along. The PGA may have had leverage in terms of the possibility of some damaging information coming out during discovery in a long trial, but LIV had the advantage in financial stamina. I think the latter is one reason the PGA gave in and struck a deal.

Shades of AFL/NFL merger over 50yrs ago with the general dynamic.

I have a feeling Norman got what he want which was a seat at the table of the PGA Tour, and the Saudis got what they wanted which was a large financial stake to further their expansion into the top sports markets for their sportswashing and general ego-driven ostentatiousness.

I've seen what it's like when scheming people throw a lot of money and flash at a project with intent to get a foot in the ownership door. The long-term result is not always great. I suspect Norman and maybe the Tour will eventually find the road rougher than expected, but the players should benefit financially as long as they don't watch the news.

Details are coming in all over the place, so I'm not sure where I got this, but the PIF is apparently a permanent sponsor, owns a minority stake, and has right of first refusal on future financial investment. So we're looking at a future where the PIF owns the parent company of the PGA Tour. Bleak.

Edit: On Norman, I think it's telling he wasn't mentioned in any of the PR, and wasn't aware of the merger (per the Saudi chairman on CNBC).

 

[g00n]

The status quo was clearly unsustainable. This had to happen. The only question was when and how. There was too much money behind LIV.

Hopefully there's a panic button clause that allows the PGA to eject the Saudis if it becomes necessary.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Big win for LIV……now let’s see what happens to the players.


Koepka winning the PGA pushed this over the line IMO. Too much pressure on the PGA Tour.

Curious how Brandel Chamblee is taking this lol…..

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Player reactions around Muirfield…..”Shocked, surprised, disappointed”.


“Players seen on their phones, talking among each other stunned…..”

4pm player meeting with The Commish….

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Lol Chamblee getting roasted by players and others gloating…he looks so mad….love it.

 

[g00n]

Talk on GC that Norman might not be involved. We'll see.

 

[g00n]

Big win for LIV……now let’s see what happens to the players.


Koepka winning the PGA pushed this over the line IMO. Too much pressure on the PGA Tour.

Curious how Brandel Chamblee is taking this lol…..

This has been in the works for a while, I've heard. BK winning 2 weeks ago was too recent to affect anything.

The legal issues and the giant sums of money drove this, imo. Discovery is dirty. Nobody would look good.

LIV were always taking the disruptor "let us in" route. I doubt their format and most of their other "innovations" will be retained so that was never a real thing.

Glad the top players are getting back to the PGA tour but the SA money is tainted far more than any previous corporate sponsorship. A lot of issues ahead.

 

[g00n]

Wow, one of the players who was in the meeting said there were standing ovations in the meeting at calls for new leadership on the tour. Split was 90/10 against the commish.

Confirmed this has been negotiated over the last 7 weeks.

$$$$$$$$$

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Talk on GC that Norman might not be involved. We'll see.

Negotiated even above his head….depends on how they structure things….if they still have a DP and LIV Tour, he could be in still. Would not surprise me if he’s out though….


oh to be a fly on the wall in that room to hear MonaHan get grilled by the Tour players.

Wow, one of the players who was in the meeting said there were standing ovations in the meeting at calls for new leadership on the tour. Split was 90/10 against the commish.

Confirmed this has been negotiated over the last 7 weeks.

$$$$$$$$$

He galvanized the Tour players who turned down millions at the thought of a lifetime ban for leaving, and now it looks like those players made out big time.

 

[g00n]

Negotiated even above his head….depends on how they structure things….if they still have a DP and LIV Tour, he could be in still. Would not surprise me if he’s out though….


oh to be a fly on the wall in that room to hear MonaHan get grilled by the Tour players.


He galvanized the Tour players who turned down millions at the thought of a lifetime ban for leaving, and now it looks like those players made out big time.

He needs to get them some f***ing serious compensation for their loyalty and sacrifice.

A lot of details to be worked out including format and how the returning players will be assimilated vs the guys who took their spots. Monahan supposedly said they'll "follow the rules of the Tour" which sounds like he plans to screw some guys over and point to rules with a shrug.

Just reported on GC that there may be a "fund set up to make the guys who turned down LIV whole". So there you go. If they put that out there they'd better follow through.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

“Merger.” The Saudis bought the PGA Tour. How is it anything different?

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

This has been in the works for a while, I've heard. BK winning 2 weeks ago was too recent to affect anything.

The legal issues and the giant sums of money drove this, imo. Discovery is dirty. Nobody would look good.

LIV were always taking the disruptor "let us in" route. I doubt their format and most of their other "innovations" will be retained so that was never a real thing.

Glad the top players are getting back to the PGA tour but the SA money is tainted far more than any previous corporate sponsorship. A lot of issues ahead.

Ohhh no it wasn’t….they were saying earlier on Golf channel just how impactful it was in the last two majors having LIV players all over the leaderboard and Koepka winning made that snowball even more in terms of huge pressure from TV partners being pissed that they were not getting what they paid for each week, which was most of the worlds best playing.

It’s naive to believe this all happened quickly….who said that? I was just pointing out how the LIV guys did in majors absolutely matters.

“Merger.” The Saudis bought the PGA Tour. How is it anything different?

Sure is what it feels like…..

 

[g00n]

Ohhh no it wasn’t….they were saying earlier on Golf channel just how impactful it was in the last two majors having LIV players all over the leaderboard and Koepka winning made that snowball even more in terms of huge pressure from TV partners being pissed that they were not getting what they paid for each week, which was most of the worlds best playing.

It’s naive to believe this all happened quickly….who said that? I was just pointing out how the LIV guys did in majors absolutely matters.

And yet LIV were said to be in deep shit and possibly folding in 2024 due to lack of meaningful sponsorship.

The networks and sponsors knew what they were getting, with the possible exception of main tournament sponsors who signed deals more than 3 years ago before LIV started luring players away.

LIV guys being high on leaderboards is to be expected. That's why they were bribed to play in LIV. It doesn't make the Saudis right or LIV sustainable.

Damn, 9/11 families released a scathing statement.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

And yet LIV were said to be in deep shit and possibly folding in 2024 due to lack of meaningful sponsorship.

The networks and sponsors knew what they were getting, with the possible exception of main tournament sponsors who signed deals more than 3 years ago before LIV started luring players away.

LIV guys being high on leaderboards is to be expected. That's why they were bribed to play in LIV. It doesn't make the Saudis right or LIV sustainable.

Damn, 9/11 families released a scathing statement.

Not sure I believe that, I mean they are backed by 100s of billions and this years events that I’ve paid attention to all had higher attendance than expected. They were fighting sponsorship issues, so this greases those palms who were all protesting before.

I‘m sure like the players….many fans and sponsors feel betrayed today.

To me it felt like an inevitability that some agreement would have to be worked out, but I sure didn’t expect a “merger”…..

 

[TRASHCAT]

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

I don’t know if I should feel rage or just run of the mill anger and disappointment. I don’t even really get it. The LIV product wasn’t living up to the hype so I’m not sure why PGA leadership capitulated when it didn’t seem there was much leverage for the Saudis. I guess they didn’t have the stomach for the litigation or maybe they just had a price where being the stewards of a historic entity like the PGA no longer outweighed personal gain. Either way, professional golf will never be the same and that sucks.

The momentum of oil money buying up sports teams and now leagues is concerning. They own most of the top clubs in Europe and now they own the PGA Tour. Owning individual teams in foreign leagues isn’t enough though and now they’re throwing absurd money at players to build their domestic league. They tried backing Brian Davis to buy the Commanders and it’s only a matter of time before they buy an NFL franchise or franchises given the astronomical sale prices.

The PGA Tour is now owned by the same country that harbored and enabled the 9/11 terrorists, murdered and dismembered an American journalist, bought favor with the previous presidential administration with multiple investments into privately owned businesses, is an ally to Russia and is improving relations with Iran, and generally treats human rights as an inconvenience, especially if you’re a woman. Selling out to the highest bidder, a tradition unlike any other.

 

[g00n]

I don’t know if I should feel rage or just run of the mill anger and disappointment. I don’t even really get it. The LIV product wasn’t living up to the hype so I’m not sure why PGA leadership capitulated when it didn’t seem there was much leverage for the Saudis. I guess they didn’t have the stomach for the litigation or maybe they just had a price where being the stewards of a historic entity like the PGA no longer outweighed personal gain. Either way, professional golf will never be the same and that sucks.

The momentum of oil money buying up sports teams and now leagues is concerning. They own most of the top clubs in Europe and now they own the PGA Tour. Owning individual teams in foreign leagues isn’t enough though and now they’re throwing absurd money at players to build their domestic league. They tried backing Brian Davis to buy the Commanders and it’s only a matter of time before they buy an NFL franchise or franchises given the astronomical sale prices.

The PGA Tour is now owned by the same country that harbored and enabled the 9/11 terrorists, murdered and dismembered an American journalist, bought favor with the previous presidential administration with multiple investments into privately owned businesses, is an ally to Russia and is improving relations with Iran, and generally treats human rights as an inconvenience, especially if you’re a woman. Selling out to the highest bidder, a tradition unlike any other.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I don’t know if I should feel rage or just run of the mill anger and disappointment. I don’t even really get it. The LIV product wasn’t living up to the hype so I’m not sure why PGA leadership capitulated when it didn’t seem there was much leverage for the Saudis. I guess they didn’t have the stomach for the litigation or maybe they just had a price where being the stewards of a historic entity like the PGA no longer outweighed personal gain. Either way, professional golf will never be the same and that sucks.

The momentum of oil money buying up sports teams and now leagues is concerning. They own most of the top clubs in Europe and now they own the PGA Tour. Owning individual teams in foreign leagues isn’t enough though and now they’re throwing absurd money at players to build their domestic league. They tried backing Brian Davis to buy the Commanders and it’s only a matter of time before they buy an NFL franchise or franchises given the astronomical sale prices.

The PGA Tour is now owned by the same country that harbored and enabled the 9/11 terrorists, murdered and dismembered an American journalist, bought favor with the previous presidential administration with multiple investments into privately owned businesses, is an ally to Russia and is improving relations with Iran, and generally treats human rights as an inconvenience, especially if you’re a woman. Selling out to the highest bidder, a tradition unlike any other.

It was suggested on ESPN earlier that watch them go after an NFL team…..that then may be the point where the US fans finally say enough.

It‘s crazy watching them try to setup their country financially for the future…..one that’s now rich off a finite natural resource, but also one that the world wants to go away from dependency on.

The almighty dollar ruled the day today. Very interested to see if the PGA players can muster a stiff opposition. I’m absolutely dying to hear from Rory and Norman….

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

After digesting a lot of content, details, and rumors, it seem like the Saudis bought their way into golf, but didn't buy golf outright, as the PGA Tour will still control the board.

And LIV is as good as dead.

I'd bet on the players ousting Monahan and the deal going through with slightly different details....and then the DOJ dismantling the whole thing.

 

[Ridley Simon]

I’d like to hear from Tiger and Jack, candidly.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Jack already said he thinks it’s best for the game….(paraphrasing)….

 

[marcel snapshot]

Once again the Saudis demonstrate that performative displays of integrity and principle can be bought: “Look what you will do (and give up) for our money.” It’s a dominance display on their part, and rather than risk it looking bad with LIV folding as a failure they threw more $ into the play - cuz why wouldn’t you believe that Jay Monahan could be bought

 

[g00n]