An New York Times report on secret documents related to a LIV Golf blueprint created by a consultancy firm sheds some interesting light on Saudi Arabia’s quest to create a strong, profitable breakaway league.
The LIV business model is as viable as strategic thinking behind an inflatable dartboard to the casual observer.
Let’s face the facts: anyone who offers Pat Perez $10,000,000 to sign up is a fool. The New York Times concluded that these “benchmarks” for success were bordering on the unbelievable after examining the documents.
A new league must sign each of the top 12 world-ranked golfers, attract sponsors and land TV deals for a sport that is declining in viewership, all without any significant retaliation by the PGA Tour.
LIV and its endless cash reserves have attracted many marquee names, but it is clear that the series fails to meet all of the criteria despite its rapid rise to prominence in 2022.
Even those with little knowledge of the whole story could have told you that for such a bold rebellion, it would need to be supported by the two most important golfers in the world, Tiger Woods or Rory McIlroy.
This duo declared right from the beginning that they wouldn’t touch LIV with any barge, let alone the bargepole. Woods was offered $800 million to join the group, but he refused. McIlroy and the multiple major champion have become the strongest anti-LIV voices.
The plan, called ‘Project Wedge’ by the consulting firm, also included possible outcomes for the LIV golf series. LIV’s most successful prediction was that it would see revenue of at least $1.4billion per year by 2028. The doomsday scenario for LIV is that it could lose $355 million the year after the ball marker.
It’s all about what-ifs and mays. For the moment, the Saudi sovereign wealth funds will continue to invest frightening sums in a crusade which has yet to prove that it is commercially and competitively viable. Although the LIV Series will be well known to those at the local club, it may be because of the disruptions it has caused.
Are average golfers able to recall any stories about the LIV events? You wouldn’t have expected to find yourself suddenly in that position, didn’t you?
I bet you can’t tell me a story about defining golf from the LIV campaign, beyond the endless speculation about players leaving established tours.
LIV is still a story due to the turmoil it has caused, but that must change if LIV is to succeed. Although there has been a novelty element, if the core product of golf generates little interest, the entire thing risks falling into the unimportant realms.
