Liv Golf ‘business As Usual’ But Chief Admits Rebel Tour May Need To Raise Money

LIV Golf main executive Scott O’Neil admitted nan nascent play league’s finances are “managed very tightly” and said structural changes are connected nan measurement that would astir apt mean they request to raise money, but he remained adamant nan convention will not fold.

He was interviewed by LIV labor during nan TV broadcast of nan first information of nan rebel tour’s Mexico City leg, a time aft reports that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund was to trim its funding for nan convention it helped motorboat successful 2022.

O’Neil, who has been successful nan position for 16 months aft succeeding Greg Norman, did not reside Saudi Arabia aliases its backing successful nan interview.

“For us, we’re business arsenic usual,” O’Neil said. “If you want to inquire maine if this business is tough, I would opportunity absolutely. If you asked maine if we’re managed very tightly, I would opportunity absolutely. Can this beryllium challenging? Absolutely, and that’s what we signed up for, not conscionable me, you, everyone present that’s pinch america down successful Mexico City. We signed up for this adventure, and it is nan thrust of a lifetime, aliases should I say: information of a lifetime.“

Both O’Neil and LIV broadcasters poked nosy astatine nan study and nan speculation that ensued. At nan apical of nan broadcast, David Feherty called nan reports “absolute nonsense” while Arlo White said: “It must beryllium exhausting trying to will nan LIV Golf convention retired of existence.“

In nan interview, O’Neil seemed to corroborate that LIV executives met successful New York this week while playing down nan thought that they were “summoned”.

“I unrecorded successful New York truthful it was easy to summon myself there, but it was a batch of reaching and grabbing for headlines and clickbait and stories,” O’Neil said.

O’Neil hinted much than erstwhile astatine structural changes coming to LIV Golf, though it is unclear if that pertained to format, business building aliases thing else. LIV has already shed its 54-hole tourney format, moving to a accepted 72 holes successful bid to person constricted Official World Golf Ranking points.

“How we spell guardant is what I’m really excited about,” O’Neil said. “I talked astir immoderate structural changes. They’re coming. You tin inquire conscionable astir nan 50 group I met successful Augusta [at nan Masters]. I rolled retired nan plan. We person one, and it is going to … it mightiness astonishment immoderate people. But I will show you, this conception of bringing teams to market, I had 2 calls this morning. This conception of ‘do you person to raise money?’ Probably. This is business.

“But if we support nan trajectory going nan measurement we are and nan gross maturation going, this is going to beryllium a really bully business for a really agelong time.“

O’Neil many times touted LIV Golf’s world appeal. While it has struggled to summation footing aliases pull TV ratings successful nan US, immoderate of LIV’s astir celebrated events person been successful Australia and Asia, markets traditionally underserved by nan PGA Tour and nan DP World Tour.

“From a business standpoint, we did almost a half a cardinal dollars successful sponsorship past twelvemonth pinch large brands for illustration Rolex and HSBC, Aramco. These are world brands. I’m reasoning we’re successful a awesome position,” O’Neil said. “From a structural standpoint, this business will proceed to germinate arsenic it has complete nan past 12 months. The bully news for america is we cognize really to put connected a show. We cognize really to turn nan game.

“Will location beryllium a alteration successful really we operate? Of course. I would person told you that past twelvemonth and six months ago. We are looking to blend a type of LIV and nan nationalist opens, nan awesome nationalist opens astir nan world.”