LIV Golf DENIED by Sky, BT & others in UK; are they going to offer it for FREE?!

LIV Golf is still struggling to land a TV rights deal for its new Saudi-backed golf league. 

Andy Roberts's picture
Fri, 6 Jan 2023
LIV Golf DENIED by Sky, BT & others in UK; are they going to offer it for FREE?!

Still no new PGA Tour players, and still no TV rights deal - let's just say LIV Golf has got off to a bogey start in 2023. 

LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman was rocked further this week by the loss of yet another top executive in its president of finances, Matt Goodman.

News emerged earlier today via Sportsmail that LIV Golf is now considering offering live TV rights to UK broadcasters FREE of charge as it continues to stumble around trying to find a traditional broadcast partner for its LIV Golf League in 2023. 

It is understood by the Daily Mail that TV broadcasters such as Sky Sports, BT Sport and DAZN were approached by the Saudi-backed circuit before the end of 2022, but nothing positive came out of negotiations and it's left LIV Golf executives scratching the surface. 

The likes of Disney and Amazon have also declined to get involved with LIV, according to Sportsmail. 

Last year, the inugural LIV Golf Invitational Series was only available in the UK via YouTube, the LIV Golf website and social media streams such as Facebook. 

DAZN purchased the rights to show LIV Golf tournaments elsewhere in Europe such as in Germany, Italy and Spain, and they also streamed to markets such as Japan. 

 

 

Should it really be any surprise that Sky Sports have shunned LIV Golf when they already show DP World Tour and PGA Tour events on a weekly basis? 

Of course not. In fact, we are even surprised LIV even bothered speaking to Sky bosses in the first place. 

BT Sport, according to Sportsmail, were said to be "unhappy with the price being demanded" by LIV Golf, and so they are not willing to be a part of it.

DAZN have said similar, it is understood. 

So what next for LIV Golf when it comes to TV rights, at least here in the UK? 

Sportsmail believes LIV might have to give it away for free. 

Not ideal when you consider the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia has already pumped more than £1 billion into getting hold of some of the game's biggest and best golfers such as Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau

When it comes to British golfers currently on LIV Golf, there are a few big names, none bigger than Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Paul Casey.

Towards the back of last year, it emerged that LIV Golf held talks with Fox Sports about a TV rights deal in the United States, but there has been no further update on a deal where they are concerned. 

Have FOX been forced into a TV deal with LIV Golf? 

As it stands, not a single UK broadcaster has been offered any money to screen any of the 14 tournaments in the 2023 LIV Golf League, which starts in the last week of February in Mexico.

Surely someone will step forward. 

Anyone? 

Next Page: LEAKED - all 14 venues for the 2023 LIV Golf League