LIV Golf

[Pin-seeker]

Why can’t people just accept that there’s a new tour?
Ok you might not like it,that’s fine.
It might not work ?‍
Just don’t watch it.
If the tour you prefer has nothing to worry about because LIV aren’t getting the top players then happy days ?

 

[Mel Smooth]

The biggest announcement in mens professional golf, ever….

;-)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1565845085140717568

 

[Swango1980]

Why can’t people just accept that there’s a new tour?
Ok you might not like it,that’s fine.
It might not work ?‍
Just don’t watch it.
If the tour you prefer has nothing to worry about because LIV aren’t getting the top players then happy days ?

I was thinking though, think back to a time before LIV was ever even a thought. Then, imagine someone gave the following hypothetical situation:

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un randomly comes out and asks golfers to play in a string of golf events he has created, really for his own entertainment. Random events, but he offers players huge amounts of cash to play in his personal tour. He says it'll be great, and he'll broadcast his events globally on youtube, but he'll mix things up by only having 3 day events, shotgun starts and some silly team event. Given it will be free to air globally, he says it will really grow the game, especially in the far east. Basically, any golfer that plays in his tour are his personal play things on some random tour that really has nothing to do with elite competitive sport.

I am almost pretty sure 100% of people in here would have said that is absurd? Like some sort of Ben Stiller slap.stick comedy movie.

Yet, swap North Korea with Saudi Arabia, throw in Greg Norman as a spokesperson, and then suddenly we have LIV. The whole concept is just bizarre, and it seems crazy so many people have become brainwashed it is just another tour, no real issue. To me, it is just a complete side show, and still nothing to do with elite professional golf, even though random professional golfers have accepted the cash to participate

 

[evemccc]

I was thinking though, think back to a time before LIV was ever even a thought. Then, imagine someone gave the following hypothetical situation:

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un randomly comes out and asks golfers to play in a string of golf events he has created, really for his own entertainment. Random events, but he offers players huge amounts of cash to play in his personal tour. He says it'll be great, and he'll broadcast his events globally on youtube, but he'll mix things up by only having 3 day events, shotgun starts and some silly team event. Given it will be free to air globally, he says it will really grow the game, especially in the far east. Basically, any golfer that plays in his tour are his personal play things on some random tour that really has nothing to do with elite competitive sport.

I am almost pretty sure 100% of people in here would have said that is absurd? Like some sort of Ben Stiller slap.stick comedy movie.

Yet, swap North Korea with Saudi Arabia, throw in Greg Norman as a spokesperson, and then suddenly we have LIV. The whole concept is just bizarre, and it seems crazy so many people have become brainwashed it is just another tour, no real issue. To me, it is just a complete side show, and still nothing to do with elite professional golf, even though random professional golfers have accepted the cash to participate

Put Dubai and not North Korea in your example and you’d be far closer to reality

The established ‘golf ecosystem’ has already had events in Saudi, Saudi is a key US ally, Saudi isn’t millions of miles away from Dubai culturally/socially —- and no one on here gives two hoots about ‘what goes on’ in Dubai —- in fact plenty have probably holidayed there

 

[Depreston]

Why can’t people just accept that there’s a new tour?
Ok you might not like it,that’s fine.
It might not work ?‍
Just don’t watch it.
If the tour you prefer has nothing to worry about because LIV aren’t getting the top players then happy days ?

Looks like no one is watching it

 

[Mel Smooth]

I was thinking though, think back to a time before LIV was ever even a thought. Then, imagine someone gave the following hypothetical situation:

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un randomly comes out and asks golfers to play in a string of golf events he has created, really for his own entertainment. Random events, but he offers players huge amounts of cash to play in his personal tour. He says it'll be great, and he'll broadcast his events globally on youtube, but he'll mix things up by only having 3 day events, shotgun starts and some silly team event. Given it will be free to air globally, he says it will really grow the game, especially in the far east. Basically, any golfer that plays in his tour are his personal play things on some random tour that really has nothing to do with elite competitive sport.

I am almost pretty sure 100% of people in here would have said that is absurd? Like some sort of Ben Stiller slap.stick comedy movie.

Yet, swap North Korea with Saudi Arabia, throw in Greg Norman as a spokesperson, and then suddenly we have LIV. The whole concept is just bizarre, and it seems crazy so many people have become brainwashed it is just another tour, no real issue. To me, it is just a complete side show, and still nothing to do with elite professional golf, even though random professional golfers have accepted the cash to participate

You do realise you can apply a similar train of thought to the PGA Tour and pull massive holes in it.

Golfers getting paid millions in a tour that charades as a charity giver to avoid paying tax, while the execs make several miilions of dollars a year, to the detriment of golf across the world?

 

[Deleted member 29109]

You do realise you can apply a similar train of thought to the PGA Tour and pull massive holes in it.

Golfers getting paid millions in a tour that charades as a charity giver to avoid paying tax, while the execs make several miilions of dollars a year, to the detriment of golf across the world?

I think we’ve reach peak Mel spin here.

On what planet can the PGAT and the Saudi regime be considered as being remotely similar?

I don’t remember the PGAT beating orphans, jailing people for tweeting or dismembering anyone

 

[Mel Smooth]

I think we’ve reach peak Mel spin here.

On what planet can the PGAT and the Saudi regime be considered as being remotely similar?

I don’t remember the PGAT beating orphans, jailing people for tweeting or dismembering anyone

I'm talking about the concept of the golf (political discussion not allowed remember).

Pretty sure there are more people unjustly killed in the USA than there are in Saudi though, through decisions of the countries leaders. Of course, it's different because the PGA isn't funded by the US Governement - even though it actually is through the tax they don't pay to the IRS due to the fact that they've got charitable status.

Bizarre.

 

[howbow88]

Of course, it's different because the PGA isn't funded by the US Governement - even though it actually is through the tax they don't pay to the IRS due to the fact that they've got charitable status.

Haha, seriously?

 

[Mel Smooth]

Haha, seriously?

Swango is throwing the "what if" argument out there mate, I'm just doing the exact same thing from a different viewpoint.

 

[Deleted member 29109]

Swango is throwing the "what if" argument out there mate, I'm just doing the exact same thing from a different viewpoint.

You didn’t though. You just likened the PGAT to The KSA and said the PGAT was state sponsored.

 

[Mel Smooth]

You didn’t though. You just likened the PGAT to The KSA and said the PGAT was state sponsored.

The PGA Tour most definitely is partly funded by the tax relief it gets from the US government.

 

[Jimaroid]

I don’t remember the PGAT beating orphans, jailing people for tweeting or dismembering anyone

You could say the PGAT doesn’t let women drive either so they’re obviously comparable. ?

 

[doublebogey7]

You do realise you can apply a similar train of thought to the PGA Tour and pull massive holes in it.

Golfers getting paid millions in a tour that charades as a charity giver to avoid paying tax, while the execs make several miilions of dollars a year, to the detriment of golf across the world?

Now now lets keep to the facts. The PGAT is registered as a non-profit making organisation not because it gives money to charity but because it does not distribute monies to shareholders. No shareholders no taxes to pay, that's simply how taxes work. Jay does get well rewarded for the work he does but his remuneration package is similar to comparable jobs in the sports industry and has to be approved by the board where there are a number of players' representatives. Incidentally, do we know how much Greig is paid?

And the LIV answer to your question posed is to pay players even more millions simply for turning up, to play in an exhibition over fewer holes but with a rather silly team format attached to try a instil a little interest. All paid for by a corrupt regime who go around killing journalists they don't like.

 

[Mel Smooth]

Now now lets keep to the facts. The PGAT is registered as a non-profit making organisation not because it gives money to charity but because it does not distribute monies to shareholders. No shareholders no taxes to pay, that's simply how taxes work. Jay does get well rewarded for the work he does but his remuneration package is similar to comparable jobs in the sports industry and has to be approved by the board where there are a number of players' representatives. Incidentally, do we know how much Greig is paid?

And the LIV answer to your question posed is to pay players even more millions simply for turning up, to play in an exhibition over fewer holes but with a rather silly team format attached to try a instil a little interest. All paid for by a corrupt regime who go around killing journalists they don't like.

So why are all PGA Tour events considered to be "charity events" then?

They've got nett assets north of a billion dollars.
I don't care what they are registered as, they are using the charitable status of the organisation to avoid paying tax.

 

[Deleted member 21445]

The PGA Tour would have been delighted that Rory won their Fed Ex.

Liv will be equally happy that their top man Cam Smith hit the ground running yesterday.

 

[Mel Smooth]

I know the no-cut status get's knocked, but I bet Sihwan Kim wishes he was packing his bags early, 17 over par after round one.

That is a bad day at the office.

 

[Backsticks]

Why can’t people just accept that there’s a new tour?
Ok you might not like it,that’s fine.
It might not work ?‍
Just don’t watch it.
If the tour you prefer has nothing to worry about because LIV aren’t getting the top players then happy days ?

Because nobody following pro golf wanted the entertainment to be downgraded. LIV has downgraded it. The product, elite pro golf tournaments, has been downgraded.
Two weakened tours are not as strong as one full tour. Each partial tour cant even be half as good as the full fat PGAT was.?

Thats why you cant just accept it. LIV is a plague that has brought nothing good, but is in danger of leaving two weak tours if it succeeds.

The brighter news this week is that it looks like it isnt succeeding. The eflux from the pgat may be done. In which case we have a weakened but viable pgat which can take the few hits. And a Saudi tour that didnt reach critical mass in player quality to make an impact, attract interest, and have a serious future.

 

[evemccc]

Now now lets keep to the facts. The PGAT is registered as a non-profit making organisation not because it gives money to charity but because it does not distribute monies to shareholders. No shareholders no taxes to pay, that's simply how taxes work. Jay does get well rewarded for the work he does but his remuneration package is similar to comparable jobs in the sports industry and has to be approved by the board where there are a number of players' representatives. Incidentally, do we know how much Greig is paid?

And the LIV answer to your question posed is to pay players even more millions simply for turning up, to play in an exhibition over fewer holes but with a rather silly team format attached to try a instil a little interest. All paid for by a corrupt regime who go around killing journalists they don't like.

At what part is this thread political, if not the above post esp last sentence..?

In view of that, please tell me the relationship the PGA Tour have with China…I’m all ears
The PGA Tour China, I believe it’s called in its current iteration isn’t it?

Tibet, Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Taiwan I could go on for hours

Not whataboutery, merely context….

 

[Backsticks]

Countries do bad stuff. Thats the world. Thats people.

We just want to be entertained by top quality golf from the worlds best golfers playing against each other. LIV is threatening that. Golfwise thats the long and the short of it. No golf spectator is the better for the Saudi assault.