LIV Golf’s ambitious 2023 schedule was announced by the company. They spoke about 14 events and increased prize money. There was also a drive to recruit, with “maybe seven” players who wanted to “be free” and “be liberated” to join Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson and Cam Smith.
With just a month until the Mayakoba first event, the public has yet to hear about seven of the tournaments. However, that could change quickly after the recent broadcasting agreement with CW Network, or any new names confirming this move.
It is highly probable that Mito Pereira will join Joaquin Niemann, the current world number 5. However, even the most optimistic speculations have gone awry over recent months and it appears the new TV deal has had additional effects.
Barstool Sports reporter Dan Rapaport tweeted Friday that it may not all be so rosy in the recruitment process. It is often free and easy, given the cash provided by the Saudi Public Investment Fund.
LIV offered a lower price after they had received the TV deal. One LIV player told me that LIV will offer him a new offer. The offer would be “lower” now that they will have more exposure through the CW deal, he said. This is an interesting twist.
— Dan Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport January 20, 2023
One reply was from writer Amanda-Biers-Melcher, who gave one explanation for a tv deal with a network with a different demographic than usually seen watching golf:
The CW is currently restructuring. This is how they got their new mandate. https://t.co/ZZQNg7kpGZ
— amanda biers–melcher (@amandabiers January 20, 2023
Chief operating officer of Nexstar, the group that owns CW, Tom Carter, outlined the plans for the network. He stated that “its programming is targeted at an 18-to-24 audience demographic while the average age for the CW broadcast viewers is 58 years” and that they will be “taking a new approach to our CW programming strategies over time.”
The tvline.com report concludes with The CW adding “high-quality syndicated programs” to its lineup. He indicated that this is a departure from their prior focus on original scripted content and is rare among major broadcast networks.
It is likely that players signing up for 2023 will be behind 2022’s class.
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