PGA and LIV to merge

[Caymus]

A few months ago, they hated each other. Now it is pure love and potentially more $$$$

PGA Tour agrees to merge with Saudi-backed rival LIV Golf (https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/golf/pga-tour-agrees-to-merge-with-saudi-backed-rival-liv-golf/ar-AA1cc9Zx#:~:text=The%20PGA%20Tour%20agreed%20to%20 merge%20with%20rival,claims.%20The%20deal%20would% 20end%20all%20pending%20litigation).

[Rainger99]

If it is true, it is a good thing for golf - for the players and the fans.

But for those people who hated LIV, they won’t be able to watch golf anymore because of the Saudi connection!

[txfan]

LIV wins!

[Lindsyburnsy]

A few months ago, they hated each other. Now it is pure love and potentially more $$$$

PGA Tour agrees to merge with Saudi-backed rival LIV Golf (https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/golf/pga-tour-agrees-to-merge-with-saudi-backed-rival-liv-golf/ar-AA1cc9Zx#:~:text=The%20PGA%20Tour%20agreed%20to%20 merge%20with%20rival,claims.%20The%20deal%20would% 20end%20all%20pending%20litigation).
Anything for $$$$$

[Tvflguy]

Yikes. Imagine Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson in the same foursome at their first event.

No love lost. Anger runs deep>>

Earlier this week, Mickelson trashed Rory McIlroy on Twitter, saying the LIV Tour would fit him perfectly but no team would want him because they would have to ‘deal with all of his bs.’

[Golfer222]

Bet Tiger and Rory not very happy with PGA. They turned down 800 and 500 million respectively trying to do the right thing. Defended the PGA at every turn.

[jebartle]

Morals or money, hmmmm! Guess who won!

[dewilson58]

Bet Tiger and Rory not very happy with PGA. They turned down 800 and 500 million respectively trying to do the right thing. Defended the PGA at every turn.

Ouch.

[fishon]

Yay!
A monopoly again. Viewers are the losers.

[retiredguy123]

Bet Tiger and Rory not very happy with PGA. They turned down 800 and 500 million respectively trying to do the right thing. Defended the PGA at every turn.
I feel so bad for them. NOT!

[dewilson58]

What are all the LIV haters going to watch now if it's All-for-One and One-for-All??

Yes their might be separate "leagues", but all the money will be flowing thru one Operating Entity so all that so-called dirty money will be touching the PGA.
(it was touching already, but now "you" can't deny it)

:shrug:

[Rainger99]

Bet Tiger and Rory not very happy with PGA. They turned down 800 and 500 million respectively trying to do the right thing. Defended the PGA at every turn.

They are both doing ok. Tiger has a net worth of more than $1 billion and Rory is worth about $170 million.

Tiger made about $70 million last year and Rory makes about $50 million a year. Most of that is from endorsements.

If you are worth that much, you can afford to turn down the LIV offer.

[Erider]

Pretty sure this is end game Norman envisioned. Also pretty sure PGA and Monahan threw in the towel when the lawyers told him they were gonna lose BIG on the antitrust suit.

[BrianL99]

Pretty sure this is end game Norman envisioned. Also pretty sure PGA and Monahan threw in the towel when the lawyers told him they were gonna lose BIG on the antitrust suit.

I'm not a huge Greg Norman fan, but it's heartening to see Greg get the best of Monahan, who's a buffoon.

According to Monahan & the PGA, the LIV guys were the biggest scumballs on earth a week ago (to say nothing of that other dufus, Seth Waugh) and now they're all partners and the PGA Tour is accepting all that "blood money".

It only cost the PGA about $500,000,000 in additional purse money to get where they are now.

Great strategic moves by Monahan.

[Caymus]

I'm not a huge Greg Norman fan, but it's heartening to see Greg get the best of Monahan, who's a buffoon.

According to Monahan & the PGA, the LIV guys were the biggest scumballs on earth a week ago (to say nothing of that other dufus, Seth Waugh) and now they're all partners and the PGA Tour is accepting all that "blood money".

It only cost the PGA about $500,000,000 in additional purse money to get where they are now.

Great strategic moves by Monahan.

Monahan did not come off well during the CNBC interview today.

How much control does he have over PGA decisions? He seems like an empty suit.

[justjim]

The “facts” are in the details. Wait, we don’t know the details of this merger yet.

[BrianL99]

Monahan did not come off well during the CNBC interview today.

How much control does he have over PGA decisions? He seems like an empty suit.

I didn't see the interview. He's the man and makes all the calls. He essentially answers to no one.

He's a local guy from Boston and a lot of my friends know him. I've met his father a few times. "Empty suits" apparently run in the family.

He's been a disaster, since the day he took over the PGA Tour, in my opinion..

When all the truth comes out about this merger, it's going to be all about ending the litigation, to keep the "truth" from becoming public.

The PGA Tour is a 501(c)6 corporation (tax exempt, non-profit), with over $500,000,000 in cash reserves, revenue of over $2B/year, pay their CEO $10M/year and they don't pay any taxes.

(The new "merger" corporation is not going to be "non-profit")

[Dahabs]

The “facts” are in the details. Wait, we don’t know the details of this merger yet.

Agree. Not all mergers are created equal. Real curious to see the details on the this one.

[ithos]

It is definitely going to get major pushback from this group:

9/11 families feel 'betrayed' by PGA Tour over LIV Golf merger (https://nypost.com/2023/06/06/9-11-families-feel-betrayed-by-pga-tour-over-liv-golf-merger/)

[BrianL99]

A few months ago, they hated each other. Now it is pure love and potentially more $$$$

PGA Tour agrees to merge with Saudi-backed rival LIV Golf (https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/golf/pga-tour-agrees-to-merge-with-saudi-backed-rival-liv-golf/ar-AA1cc9Zx#:~:text=The%20PGA%20Tour%20agreed%20to%20 merge%20with%20rival,claims.%20The%20deal%20would% 20end%20all%20pending%20litigation).

As of this morning, this is the only source I can find, who's reporting on the Player's Meeting, that was held at 4 pm, yesterday.

[Rwirish]

Golf loses and Monahan and Norman look like idiots. Norman finds out minutes before the announcement that the leagues are merging.

The big winner - money.

[Bay Kid]

Hopefully they will stop all the loud music during play.

[Mrfriendly]

A few months ago, they hated each other. Now it is pure love and potentially more $$$$

PGA Tour agrees to merge with Saudi-backed rival LIV Golf (https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/golf/pga-tour-agrees-to-merge-with-saudi-backed-rival-liv-golf/ar-AA1cc9Zx#:~:text=The%20PGA%20Tour%20agreed%20to%20 merge%20with%20rival,claims.%20The%20deal%20would% 20end%20all%20pending%20litigation).

Guessing it’s now ok to blast my cart speakers playing Def Leopard around TV golf courses?

[golfing eagles]

Guessing it’s now ok to blast my cart speakers playing Def Leopard around TV golf courses?

Unless it violates Florida's 25 foot law regarding music from a vehicle. If it is technically legal, then you just have to worry about being "practice target":1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

[dewilson58]

Norman finds out minutes before the announcement that the leagues are merging.

Fact or speculation???

Golf Channel said they heard............has it been reported as fact??

[mntlblok]

As of this morning, this is the only source I can find, who's reporting on the Player's Meeting, that was held at 4 pm, yesterday.

Fascinating stuff. Learning here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW-72ngDMXo&t=18s about "policy boards" and the screwy way that "power" is allocated. Kind of goes along with the overriding basis of my absurdist philosophy about human nature/existence - power gets abused. Now, "how" power gets concentrated into so few hands *is* interesting, but something that shall likely always be beyond my understanding.

Where's that popcorn smiley? :popcorn::popcorn: Found it!

[mntlblok]

Fact or speculation???

Golf Channel said they heard............has it been reported as fact??

Found this: LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman 'NOT expected to have a role in the PGA Tour merger' | Daily Mail Online (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/golf/article-12166813/LIV-Golf-CEO-Greg-Norman-NOT-expected-role-PGA-Tour-merger.html)

[airstreamingypsy]

Bet Tiger and Rory not very happy with PGA. They turned down 800 and 500 million respectively trying to do the right thing. Defended the PGA at every turn.

I said to my friend last night, maybe Tiger will start his own league.

[hypart]

Fact or speculation???

Golf Channel said they heard............has it been reported as fact??

Fact. Yasir stated this in the CNBC interview. He said all stakeholders, including Norman, were notified minutes prior to the interview.

[SHIBUMI]

Democracy and ethics are just a smoke screen. In the end, the golden rule always wins.
Why would anyone think otherwise ...we got caught sleeping.... Its a new world order and we are all just pawns to be sacrificed to protect the king...sit back and enjoy the ride

[44Apple]

Money for the American and European tours will now be coming from the Saudis. A modern day buy-out, a corrupt one.

[ILLINOIS RAY]

This is not a good thing for golf. They just lost me and a lot of other fans from watching golf. I want nothing to do with Saudi run organization.

[barbnick]

I’m finished with golf and sponsors supporting Saudi blood money. I’m sure no one will miss my support

[Larchap49]

If it is true, it is a good thing for golf - for the players and the fans.

But for those people who hated LIV, they won’t be able to watch golf anymore because of the Saudi connection!

Correct! The merger was inevitable but agreeing to have the Saudis as the sole financial entity is just a total sell out. All the human rights violations that werr talked about as the big negative now just go away???? Seems the PGA just took the money and ran. Same old story Money talks Bulls--t walks. Personally I'm disgusted. The PGA just spit in the faces of all the golfers that turned down the money and stood with the PGA.

[SHIBUMI]

I left the Olympics when they allowed the Dream Team to play basketball ...
they won't miss me either.........

[OhioBuckeye]

It’s got to involve in money or some kind of control.

[Greatlawn]

Brooks Koepka did it

[I'm Popeye!]

That's what the Arabs wanted, to get their hand into the $ PGA $; what's next, the NBA...

[Jokomo]

Better look at the whole pic. Why isolate this transaction? We’ll see if Brandl Chamblee will tone down his comments.

Saudi Arabia'''s wealth fund nearly triples US stock investments to more than $43bn (https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/markets/2021/11/16/saudi-arabias-wealth-fund-nearly-triples-us-stock-investments-to-more-than-43bn/)

[Villages Kahuna]

Disgusting. I’ll stop watching golf on TV and definitely never attend a tournament live.

[Greatlawn]

Every time you fill up your car with gas you support Saudi control of oil prices

[Vermilion Villager]

Yay!
A monopoly again. Viewers are the losers.
Ain't that the truth!!!
I will continue to golf but will NEVER watch another PGA event again. I'm sure the survivors and the families of the over 3700 people who died in 9/11 won't either.
I bet you will see a huge increase of viewership of the LPGA. I get to watch great golf and don't get any of the Jr. High drama.:eclipsee_gold_cup:

[Vermilion Villager]

This is not a good thing for golf. They just lost me and a lot of other fans from watching golf. I want nothing to do with Saudi run organization.

TIMES 2!!!!!!: I will stay as far away from blood money as I can. mad::mad::mad::mad:

[Vermilion Villager]

It is definitely going to get major pushback from this group:

9/11 families feel 'betrayed' by PGA Tour over LIV Golf merger (https://nypost.com/2023/06/06/9-11-families-feel-betrayed-by-pga-tour-over-liv-golf-merger/)

As well they should! I'd say to anyone who thinks this is good you need to pull down your patriot flags and all that other paraphernalia you have hanging all over yourself because you truly are not a patriot.

[golfing eagles]

This is not a good thing for golf. They just lost me and a lot of other fans from watching golf. I want nothing to do with Saudi run organization.

I’m finished with golf and sponsors supporting Saudi blood money. I’m sure no one will miss my support

Correct! The merger was inevitable but agreeing to have the Saudis as the sole financial entity is just a total sell out. All the human rights violations that werr talked about as the big negative now just go away???? Seems the PGA just took the money and ran. Same old story Money talks Bulls--t walks. Personally I'm disgusted. The PGA just spit in the faces of all the golfers that turned down the money and stood with the PGA.

Disgusting. I’ll stop watching golf on TV and definitely never attend a tournament live.

Ain't that the truth!!!
I will continue to golf but will NEVER watch another PGA event again. I'm sure the survivors and the families of the over 3700 people who died in 9/11 won't either.
I bet you will see a huge increase of viewership of the LPGA. I get to watch great golf and don't get any of the Jr. High drama.:eclipsee_gold_cup:

As well they should! I'd say to anyone who thinks this is good you need to pull down your patriot flags and all that other paraphernalia you have hanging all over yourself because you truly are not a patriot.

My initial reaction to the LIV tour in the first place and this new merger was exactly the same.

For a personal perspective, I have more reason than most to hate the people that perpetrated that infamous act, with the obvious exception of the victims families. My high school class of 99 on Long Island lost 2 people that day---a NYC firefighter and a trader for Cantor-Fitzgerald. My brother would go to the WTC 2-3x/month and my nephew about the same---I could not contact anyone due to phone lines being overwhelmed. One of our bridesmaid's father worked in the #7 building, he was almost crushed by a jumper when they evacuated and has not been the same since. A good friend lost his wife on the plane that crashed into the North Tower after they decided that she would go to her conference in LA alone and he would visit his family in central NY----he heard the news while driving down the Mass Pike--likewise, he's never been the same. And to top it off my son was in the air at the time going from Phoenix to Boston. They put that plane on the ground in Indianapolis from 35,000 feet in about 2 minutes. And like many, my initial reaction was to raise the temperature of 1.2 billion adherents to that philosophy to 10,000 degrees in half a second.

Now, that being said, we might well be talking about the long term survival of one of the greatest games ever that has been around for at least 800 years. Recent politics should not be permitted to end golf. Basically, it looks like the PGA has been financially forced to make a business decision irrespective of the ethics and morality of the Saudi government. The cost of litigation could well bankrupt the PGA and World DP tours, considering the non-profit PGA generates about $2 billion in "profit" per year, but the Saudis have trillions at their disposal.

Is this deal fair to the players that stuck with the PGA and turned down hundreds of millions? No, but those players aren't likely to starve in the street. Did Jay Monihan feather his own nest by making this deal that will leave him as CEO of the new Saudi based corporation? Pretty sure, since he now gets paid $10 million/year and that will probably be much more form the new corporation. Are we in love with the human rights violations of Saudi Arabia? Obviously not, but many businesses and business decisions are made without regard to the morality of the other party.

Do I wish Greg Norman never started this ball rolling in 1995? Do I wish Leftie stayed with the PGA and pursued a senior career. Do I wish the Saudis would be called out for "sportswashing"? Of course, but this is not how it played out. So should all the world PG tours, golf professionals and tens of millions of recreational players cut their own throat to prove a point????

You decide.

[Erider]

All this talk about Saudi blood money is amusing.

Our own government has assassinated hundreds or thousands and sent hellfire missiles to the wrong address. Most every government in the world has blood on their hands so the moral posturing is ridiculous.

[mntlblok]

Enlightening. "Not" a merger with LIV, says he.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYLZnqeJoWg

[I'm Popeye!]

Every time you fill up your car with gas you support Saudi control of oil prices
Yes, Especially the last two years......

[rockyhyder]

Bet Tiger and Rory not very happy with PGA. They turned down 800 and 500 million respectively trying to do the right thing. Defended the PGA at every turn.

Agreed, some players were big losers in this fight. But once Jay Monahan saw the Saudi checkbook his true loyalty came out. Sold out Tiger, Rory and Jordan just to name a few. So much for the PGA being ran by the players, Jay cut the deal without so much as a consult.

[JMintzer]

That's what the Arabs wanted, to get their hand into the $ PGA $; what's next, the NBA...

China's gonna' own them...

[Larchap49]

Every time you fill up your car with gas you support Saudi control of oil prices

Noooo you support our current administration. Suspend me if you must

[UpNorth]

The Saudis just want to sportswash and eliminate holes 9-11.

[BrianL99]

Enlightening. "Not" a merger with LIV, says he.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYLZnqeJoWg

Not at all.

LIV was the big winner and have essentially absorbed the PGA Tour and have full control.

[Worldseries27]

Let's hope they unite to protect all of our sports from international take overs
pass some damn legislation ! To do so

[SHIBUMI]

Someone in congress has proposed a bill to remove the PGA Tour from Tax exempt status,

makes a lot of sense..........

[CoachKandSportsguy]

yes, i knew people who worked in the WTC as the company i work for owned a couple of floors, and a couple from my home town, with whom i have played soccer, but i don't remember him, were lost in one of the planes.

It appears that the Saudis bought the PGA, merger is a finance washing, and most likely, Moynihan had been bought with money and power. Its sports washing at the worst as the saudis trying to buy interests around the world. . but the outcome is in the future and the future hasn't arrived yet . .

the question from Golfing eagles is here as well:

do you care about the differences in other cultures from which you buy goods or services?
China, Saudi Arabia, Russia, etc.
Do you want people to follow the rules or do you want cheap labor at home in our culture?
undocumented migrants in FL?

same question i posted in about the new FL law with Edocument

22 days until former corp finance guy

[Bay Kid]

Every time you fill up your car with gas you support Saudi control of oil prices

This should be every time you fill up your car you are supporting American jobs. Such a shame.

[OhioBuckeye]

I agree Popeye!

[dewilson58]

I agree Popeye!

Me too.................spinach is great.

[retiredguy123]

Agreed, some players were big losers in this fight. But once Jay Monahan saw the Saudi checkbook his true loyalty came out. Sold out Tiger, Rory and Jordan just to name a few. So much for the PGA being ran by the players, Jay cut the deal without so much as a consult.
I don't see how the players lost anything. They had a cash offer from LIV and some of them turned it down. It was their choice.

[dewilson58]

I don't see how the players lost anything. They had a cash offer from LIV and some of them turned it down. It was their choice.

Well they kinda did lose $$$...............If the players knew the PGA was going taking blood money in the end.............the players could have taking the LIV money, waited a year for the merger and been back on the PGA.

[retiredguy123]

Well they kinda did lose $$$...............If the players knew the PGA was going taking blood money in the end.............the players could have taking the LIV money, waited a year for the merger and been back on the PGA.
"IF" is a big word.

[mntlblok]

Found this article - and the comments - to be most enlightening. What Now Becomes of LIV Golf? Ask Yasir Al-Rumayyan | The Fire Pit Collective (https://firepitcollective.com/what-now-becomes-of-liv-golf-ask-yasir-al-rumayyan/)

[Caymus]

Stress? Mental Health?

Jay Monahan, commissioner of PGA Tour, recovering from medical situation (https://sports.yahoo.com/jay-monahan-commissioner-pga-tour-112201000.html)

[mntlblok]

Fascinating background.

How the shocking PGA Tour-LIV Golf deal went down - ESPN (https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/37837794/inside-pga-tour-liv-golf-saudi-public-investment-fund-deal)

Dunne raised eyebrows last week when he told the Golf Channel that he is convinced the Saudis he dealt with weren't involved in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. "I am quite certain -- and I have had conversations with a lot of very knowledgeable people -- that the people I'm dealing with had nothing to do with it," he said. "If someone can find someone who unequivocally was involved with it, I'll kill them myself."

[kkingston57]

Yikes. Imagine Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson in the same foursome at their first event.

No love lost. Anger runs deep>>

Earlier this week, Mickelson trashed Rory McIlroy on Twitter, saying the LIV Tour would fit him perfectly but no team would want him because they would have to ‘deal with all of his bs.’

No problem. Phil should be playing with Fred, Bernard and all of the other over 50 ers etc

[mrpete2]

Yikes. Imagine Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson in the same foursome at their first event.

No love lost. Anger runs deep>>

Earlier this week, Mickelson trashed Rory McIlroy on Twitter, saying the LIV Tour would fit him perfectly but no team would want him because they would have to ‘deal with all of his bs.’

Rory and Koepka are in the same group Thursday and Friday. Interesting??

[mntlblok]

Fascinating background.

How the shocking PGA Tour-LIV Golf deal went down - ESPN (https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/37837794/inside-pga-tour-liv-golf-saudi-public-investment-fund-deal)

Dunne raised eyebrows last week when he told the Golf Channel that he is convinced the Saudis he dealt with weren't involved in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. "I am quite certain -- and I have had conversations with a lot of very knowledgeable people -- that the people I'm dealing with had nothing to do with it," he said. "If someone can find someone who unequivocally was involved with it, I'll kill them myself."

Have been following this fellow's podcasts and have found his insights to be the best I've seen on the subject. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjUC7HEa0aU

[dewilson58]

Doesn't matter how many times they say it................the PGA is not in control.

The board of directors of the new entity is not in control.