As the LIV Golf League goes through its most radical and expensive transformation yet. This new runaway golf tour, funded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, is changing the sport forever. Former Merlin Entertainments CEO Scott O’Neil has been brought on as the new CEO. Under his leadership, the relatively young league will continue to re-write its narrative and establish itself more firmly within the increasingly competitive sports environment.
The LIV Golf League has been hogging the golf headlines lately, recently announcing a new broadcasting deal with Fox in the United States. On paper, this deal signals a significant change for the league. It aims to increase accessibility and attract a more diverse audience. The league’s international viewership numbers have been up significantly as well, a testament to the international interest in the format, which is growing all the time.
In an unusual about face, the league in September dropped its “Golf But Louder” slogan in favor of “Long LIV Golf.” This change is indicative of its desire to change the world’s perception of golf and better connect with its passionate fans. An equal revolution is taking place within golf, with LIV Golf’s unique format breaking the mold of traditional events and competitions. It has a team and individual aspect, shotgun starts and exciting 54-hole tournaments.
Combined with its U.S. debut — LIV’s first tournament is set to be held in ex-U.S. This event is hugely important to keeping the momentum and excitement of American golf fans. It goes a long way toward cementing the league’s presence in one of the sport’s most lucrative and visible markets.
To that end, the league has greatly expanded its partnership with the South Australian state government. Together, they will co-host a tournament at The Grange Golf Club in Adelaide through 2031. This five year extension further underscores the league’s deep commitment to growing the game overseas. Over the past two seasons, it has lured out almost 100,000 fans to the Aussie event.
As LIV Golf continues to evolve, it will feature a dozen golfers in the upcoming Masters tournament, including five past champions. Despite continued frictions with the PGA Tour, this participation reaffirms the league’s strength in recruiting elite talent. Perhaps Greg Norman’s controversial attempts to lure the best players away from the Tour tension the most. As a result, engagement between the two organizations has almost completely disappeared.
Further, LIV Golf has sounded on the sidelines of the ongoing negotiations between the Public Investment Fund (PIF) and PGA Tour. It isn’t taking a leading role in pushing these conversations forward. Consistent messaging from LIV Golf governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan has ensured LIV Golf remains in step with the wider golfing universe’s evolution.
For what it’s worth, LIV Golf has been reporting enviable viewership numbers around the world. Things didn’t go well with U.S. television ratings for its first four events in 2025. With no drastic bump in ratings, there was immediate concern about how the league will market itself going into the future.
O’Neil expressed optimism about the future of LIV Golf, stating, “The reality of the way I see the world is I see the LIV Golf League with a lot of hope and a lot of future.”
He described his vision for LIV Golf, emphasizing its potential to become a leading force in the sport: “That’s one thing I’ve 100 percent committed to. I think the notion of being the F1 of golf is real. It’s 100 percent real.”
Leave a Reply