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After luring in some of the world’s top golfers with massive paychecks, LIV Golf secured a suite of broadcast partners shortly before the start of its inaugural tournament.
The breakaway golf league, backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, has reportedly struck deals with numerous broadcasters including DAZN, DirecTV, L’Equipe, and Sina Sports to broadcast the tournament series in 150 countries and territories.
- DAZN’s rights cover the U.S., Canada, Japan, Italy, Spain, and German-speaking countries.
- DirecTV’s deal provides rights to Latin America. Sina Sports holds the rights in China, and L’Equipe will show the tournaments in France.
- LIV reportedly offered U.K. rights to Sky Sports and BT Sports but could not reach a deal.
- LIV is also broadcasting its first tournament at London’s Centurion Club, which runs from Thursday to Saturday, on YouTube, Facebook, and LIV’s website.
PGA Uproar
ESPN has backed the PGA Tour as it takes increasingly aggressive action to punish golfers who have joined LIV. Seventeen golfers, including Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia, have been suspended by the PGA Tour, while Dustin Johnson and Kevin Na have resigned from the Tour.
The PGA is considering lifetime bans for golfers who join LIV, sources told Front Office Sports.
LIV paid some golfers in excess of $100 million to join the tournament, and the prize purse at the London Invitational will be larger than any PGA tournament in history, with a winner’s prize of $4 million and a minimum payout for finishers of $120,000.
