LIV Golf

[Backsticks]

I personally think Pelley’s missed a great opportunity to align with LIV and do what they say, ‘grow the game’.
Pelley should have had the balls to go through the short term pain for the longer term good of the game on a global scale.

Pelley has no responsibility for the good of the game or its global growth. His is to making money for the elite crust of professional golfers in the sphere of competitive sport as entertainment.
And he has made the right move now. Strengthened the relationship with the PGAT and access to its golfers, and the cooperation now has a claim to being a global pro golf platform, drinking LIVs milkshake. 54 holes and farcical 'teams' will not cut it for the Saudis.

 

[Aussie Swinger]

‘Euro tour is now in a better position than before the war’
I look forward to coming back and rereading this post again in 3 or 4 years time…

 

[garyinderry]

People chat about wouldn't it be great to have a proper world tour. Visit so many differnt countries all the time etc. Grow the game globally.

I'm pretty certain the pros wouldn't actually like it.

 

[Aussie Swinger]

People chat about wouldn't it be great to have a proper world tour. Visit so many differnt countries all the time etc. Grow the game globally.

I'm pretty certain the pros wouldn't actually like it.

That’s because of the almost monopoly the PGA tour hold and have held over golf to this point. Everyone gets tired of travelling eventually. But Lewis Hamilton is travelling the world after 15 plus years of doing it with F1. Why can’t golf do the same? Say they stage one great event a month on a different continent, is it not too much to ask/ require all these players to play in return for the huge financial gains they are getting? I don’t believe it is. I also think the 48 players/teams concept will go out the door first if more players move across. I honestly believe it will eventually turn into 125 player world tour if people let it flourish. It could be a win/win for golf fans all around the world. Liv have always said they will respect and work around the majors. I hope it personally Liv becomes the F1 equivalent in golf. Some people just don’t like change. I’m all for progress.

 

[Backsticks]

‘Euro tour is now in a better position than before the war’
I look forward to coming back and rereading this post again in 3 or 4 years time…

Ill be happy to repost it !

 

[BiMGuy]

Ticket sales must be going well. Only a 25% discount this time rather than free tickets.

 

[Foxholer]

Pro events different in so many ways to the amatuer world. Remember when a certain Justin Rose turned pro and missed 21 straight cuts. He didn't do too badly

Welcome back Homer!

 

[ColchesterFC]

Ticket sales must be going well. Only a 25% discount this time rather than free tickets.

I was going to ask about this. I'm seeing a lot of posts on Twitter for example with codes such as "Westwood25" to get a 25% discount on tickets. Is that normal for other golf events as I haven't noticed it before? This isn't a dig at LIV as I appreciate they are only just starting out.

I also wonder if LIV have signed up people to post positive things on social media to try to improve their image and increase their reach. It wouldn't surprise me if they had as they've got plenty of cash to throw around. I wonder if it works the same as for the players. You get a signing bonus and then X amount per positive post. What do we think the going rate would be for each post?

 

[Foxholer]

I personally think Pelley’s missed a great opportunity to align with LIV and do what they say, ‘grow the game’. It would have been messy, but it was a chance take away golf being ‘America-centric’ and make it a Truely Global tour aka F1. A chance to see the best players play in Asia, Europe, South Africa, Australia and still have events in America, North and South, a truely ‘Global game’ as PeterDawson used to ‘bang on about’, but actually did nothing about.
Pelley should have had the balls to go through the short term pain for the longer term good of the game on a global scale. A chance to rewrite the rule book for the future. History is exactly that, history, it is done, these so called leading CEO’s need to look to the future.
The European tour has been dying a ‘slow death’ as just the European version of the Korn ferry feeder tour. This is going to accelerate the belief that DP Tour is losing its value and even less inviting to sponsors than it is now. Just my two pennies worth anyway.

That was never going to happen!
As it is, Pelley has gained benefits for the ET from 'trustworthy' folk. Had he gone the 'accept LIV' approach, he'd have been leaping into the unknown with a true 'competitor'.
Golf IS US-centric! After the initial/pilot/'practice' event in UK - where screw-ups could be ignored and/or tweaked, where are all the LIV events? USA of course!

 

[Backsticks]

I havent been approached yet, but if I am, subject to the non disclosure conditions, I will let you know as much as possible.

54 holes is just so fantastic. Its the game changer for me. Add in the teams element, and well, I think we have the perfect sport. I am just so grateful to Saudi Arabia for doing such a great job for golf, and giving it a massive global boost, and wrenching it from the protective exclusive control of the American. Saudi is a really lovely country too, if you havent visited, you should. The people are delightful and so open.

 

[Foxholer]

...
I also wonder if LIV have signed up people to post positive things on social media to try to improve their image and increase their reach. It wouldn't surprise me if they had as they've got plenty of cash to throw around. I wonder if it works the same as for the players. You get a signing bonus and then X amount per positive post. What do we think the going rate would be for each post?

Ask Mel Smooth!
FWIW. One of the orgs they seem to 'be in bed with' is Frimley based Performance 54 a 'modern marketing and consultancy group, with extensive experience within the golf and tourism sectors' that has been involved with Saudi events.

 

[rksquire]

I dont think so. Far from it now. What I was guessing has come to pass. DP was able to exploit the situation. It wasnt really threatened itself. Saudi tour was always going to out of DPs league anyway, so no real impact. But extracted a deal for themselves from the PGAT that enhances their position. And the PGAT had to give them something to ensure they held the line against Saudi players access to other tournaments.
Euro tour is now in a better position than before the war.

I stick by it, the DPWT is still the biggest loser and has now accepted its status as an inferior product - only elevated when big brother decides it.

I think you and I see the announced DPWT alliance as something very different. Even if a pro was now attracted by the prospect of potentially being fastracked to the PGAT and plays the DPWT for a while, chances are any potentially 'stars' will have a bigger pot of gold waved in their face by someone else. I think the more interesting take from the announcement is around Pelley's comments regarding LIV:

"Most importantly, it was nowhere near the figures being bandied about in the media and in the players lounge over the past couple of months. We have had no further conversation with them since last summer."..... Pelley suggested the Greg Norman-fronted LIV Golf series would need to alter their business model for his organisation to do business with them....."Unfortunately Golf Saudi has elected to play outside the ecosystem," ......"I've been consistent that if, in fact, they are interested to play inside the ecosystem, and not launch a rival tour that I think is detrimental to the game at large, then I personally, from DP World's perspective, would be open - and they know that - to having a conversation."

So, given 'acceptable' circumstances, and seemingly for the right money, there's a deal to be made with LIV and DPWT. I don't really liked the rushed announcements and reactionary nature of the PGA Tour - the substance of both the changed events (more money, no cut!) and 'expansion' (basically continue as we with seemingly no real benefit to the DPWT except a quicker gateway for participants to the big league therefore devaluing itself even faster - unless there's a steady flow of European talent we don't know about).

The PGA Tour will survive this by putting on quality tournaments and have quality participants - McIlroy winning in Canada was a far more successful statement than any actual statements made so far. The issue this weekend is the PGA Tour has such a week field so there may well be a bit more interest in what happens in Portland.

 

[Backsticks]

McIlroy winning in Canada, and it was good, was only good because the field quality was still high. If big numbers deflect, the quality is clearly on the Saudi tour, and he is only beating a field of stumble bums, then it means nothing. If anything, the more he wins by, the more meaningless the win.

 

[Backsticks]

rksquire, how is the DP a loser in anyway ? What has changed for it ? It wasnt in the league of the world top 50 players, which is LIVs target, anyway.
Its a regional, second division, tour, with a side role of feeder channel to the PGA. This move will enhance its link and cooperation with the PGa, increasing field quality, points, and standing. Not a lot. But anything is an improvement for them.

 

[sunshine]

Do you want me to translate it for you as well Foxtroller? ;-)

https://www.marca.com/golf/2020/06/06/5eda8af946163fd2a08b46a4.html

Eugenio, al que entrena Antonio Barquero, guarda un gran recuerdo de Severiano Ballesteros y cómo éste le influyó. Su familia paterna es de Santander, y López-Chacarra suele pasar un mes de verano en Pedreña. "Seve me ha dejado entrar en su sala de trofeos y coger la jarra de clarete, ver las chaquetas verdes e incluso jugar con él los pares 3 de Pedreña. Me decía: 'Todo lo que trabajes nunca es mucho, siempre puedes hacer más'. Y tiene razón porque en el golf se hace cierto eso de, 'cuanto más entreno más suerte tengo'. Yo tiro mucho de aquella enseñanza", dice el madrileño, que no atiende a distracciones: "Hay a quien le gusta ir a la discoteca y a mí gusta ir al campo de golf. Estos días puedo pasar 10 horas".


López-Chacarra usually spends a summer month in Pedreña. "Seve has let me enter his trophy room and pick up the jar of claret, see the green jackets and even play the Pedreña par 3s with him.

You said: “They are building the foundations of global support, a young Spaniard that used to practice with Seve,”

The article above describes a meeting with Seve. How much spin and propaganda can you produce? ?‍

 

[Foxholer]

You said: “They are building the foundations of global support, a young Spaniard that used to practice with Seve,”

The article above describes a meeting with Seve. How much spin and propaganda can you produce? ?‍

Indeed
'... who once practiced with Seve...' would be better.
'... who practiced once with Seve....' better still.

 

[BiMGuy]

Has anyone seen the Perez, Koepka, Reed presser?

Watch it and it will tell you everything you need to know about 54 and the individuals who have jumped.

At least Perez admitted it was about the cash. But tried to get sympathy for having to decide whether or not to spend $150k on a private jet to be at the birth of his child, as he was forced to play an event as he was 121st in the FedEx.

Even Reed looked sheepish at some of the stuff the other two were saying.

 

[Foxholer]

Has anyone seen the Perez, Koepka, Reed presser?
...

More importantly...Where's Mel today?
Flying out to Portland to give us on-site coverage perhaps?

 

[Bdill93]

More importantly...Where's Mel today?
Flying out to Portland to give us on-site coverage perhaps?

Contract has expired now they have signed better talent...

 

[BubbaP]

That was never going to happen!
As it is, Pelley has gained benefits for the ET from 'trustworthy' folk. Had he gone the 'accept LIV' approach, he'd have been leaping into the unknown with a true 'competitor'.
Golf IS US-centric! After the initial/pilot/'practice' event in UK - where screw-ups could be ignored and/or tweaked, where are all the LIV events? USA of course!

Interesting ?