LIV Golf Future in Doubt

Afternoon Edition

April 15, 2026

POWERED BY

LIV Golf’s future is suddenly in question as the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia reportedly considers scaling back or ending its support. While no decision has been confirmed, the uncertainty comes at a pivotal moment for the league.

—David Rumsey

First Up

First at FOS: PE firms are finding a backdoor into college sports, investing in companies like Learfield rather than schools themselves. Read the story.
Dianna Russini’s next move is unclear after leaving The Athletic, with insiders debating what comes next for the NFL reporter. Read the story.
First at FOS: LaChina Robinson and Sarah Kustok are expected to join NBC’s WNBA coverage as analysts this season. Read the story.
The Clippers’ play-in vs. the Warriors could signal the end of their competitive window, with Kawhi Leonard’s future uncertain. Read the story.

LIV Golf’s Future in Doubt As Saudi Funding Wavers

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LIV Golf appears to be close to losing its financial backing from the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, as the league’s future has come under serious doubt Wednesday.

The PIF is “on the verge of cutting its support for LIV,” according to the Financial Times, and an announcement on the future of the kingdom’s involvement in LIV “could come as soon as Thursday,” sources told the U.K.-based outlet.

LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil is set to meet with staffers Wednesday evening in Mexico City ahead of the league’s sixth event of the season, which tees off Thursday.

This comes despite at least some positive business momentum for LIV early in 2026. League officials recently told Front Office Sports that revenue at the first five events of the season was up year-over-year in several key areas: sponsorship (+40%), ticket sales (+129%), VIP hospitality sales (+67%), merchandise retail (+26%), and YouTube revenue (+309%).

At least four LIV Golf events and 10 teams were projected to be profitable this year, according to league officials. However, the PIF’s total spend on LIV’s operations had been projected to surpass $6 billion by the end of this year. In 2024, a U.K.-based firm that runs LIV’s non-U.S. operations publicly reported losses totaling $461.8 million.

On Wednesday, the PIF board of directors approved the fund’s 2026–2030 strategy, unveiling three investment portfolios: the Vision Portfolio, Strategic Investments Portfolio, and Financial Investments Portfolio. LIV Golf was not specifically mentioned as a part of any of those three.

The Vision Portfolio has six economic ecosystems—tourism, travel, and entertainment; urban development; advanced industries and innovation; industry and logistics; clean and renewable energy and water infrastructure; and NEOM—compared to 13 strategic sectors under the previous strategy. The new Vision Portfolio is prioritizing Saudi Arabia’s local economy.

No final decision has yet been made on the future of LIV, FT sources said, with one adding that PIF is “actively considering the extent and duration of its support.”

The PIF’s new plan was drawn up before the U.S.-Israel war against Iran, but PIF governor Yasir al-Rumayyan said Wednesday that “of course the war would add more pressure to reposition some priorities,” per the FT.

LIV and the PIF have not officially commented on the golf league’s future.

The pre-tournament pro-am involving top players was held as scheduled, with Mexican boxer Canelo Álvarez among the celebrities competing.

Players and team executives have been operating as if business is happening as usual, despite the chaos and lingering questions.

Inside Azzi Fudd’s Record Rookie Moment

Azzi Fudd didn’t just arrive at the WNBA. She was built for it.

Raised in a family where basketball wasn’t just a sport but a way of life, Fudd’s path to becoming the highest-paid rookie in league history is anything but typical. From elite training environments to a support system that understood the business as much as the game, her upbringing gave her an edge long before draft night.

In this episode of The Come Up, we break down how that foundation translated into market value and what it signals about the next generation of women basketball stars.

👉 Watch now.

ONE BIG FIG

Ratings Rebound

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16%

That’s how much NBA viewership rose this season across its national TV and streaming partners (NBC, Peacock, Amazon Prime Video, and ESPN), marking a strong start to the league’s new $77 billion media-rights deal.

The league also said 170 million people in the U.S. watched at least one game this season, a sign of how widely the NBA is still being consumed. The early returns also suggest the NBA’s new mix of broadcast and streaming partners is delivering results. Read the story.

LOUD AND CLEAR

One More Year?

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“I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

—Alex Ovechkin, after the season finale, as the longtime Capitals star weighs his future following a 21st season in which he extended his NHL-record goal total to 929 and saw his five-year, $47.5 million contract expire.

Ovechkin’s uncertainty comes at a pivotal moment for the NHL and the Capitals, with the league’s all-time leading goalscorer potentially nearing retirement. His eventual departure would leave not just an on-ice void but also a major business gap across the sport. Read the story.

STATUS REPORT

One Up, Two Down, One Push

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Commanders ⬆⬇ The NFL team revealed its new “Hail Riser” uniforms for the 2026–27 season, with maroon and white primary jerseys, as well as a black alternate jersey and alternate logo. These uniforms, which notably remove the “Commanders” wordmark existing on the previous jerseys, are reminiscent of those the team wore when it won three Super Bowls between 1981 and 1991.

Reebok ⬆ The company signed Washington Mystics rookie Lauren Betts, the No. 4 pick in the 2026 WNBA draft, to an endorsement deal. The 2026 NCAA tournament’s Most Outstanding Player joins athletes like the Atlanta Dream’s Angel Reese, the Chicago Sky’s DiJonai Carrington, and the Bulls’ Matas Buzelis on Reebok’s basketball roster.

Quinnipiac women’s rugby ⬇ The program will be bumped down from varsity to club status in favor of Quinnipiac adding men’s indoor and outdoor distance running, the university announced Monday. Olympic bronze medalist Illona Maher, who played for Quinnipiac from 2015 to 2017, addressed the decision on Instagram, writing “shame on you” while tagging Quinnipiac and Quinnipiac Athletics. The Bobcats rugby program won three Division I national championships.

LaMelo Ball ⬇ After the Hornets’ guard appeared to trip the Heat’s Bam Adebayo while Adebayo was falling in Charlotte’s play-in win over Miami, the NBA will review Ball’s action per NBA on Prime’s Chris Haynes, with a ruling to be decided before the Hornets’ final play-in game Friday. Ball apologized for the altercation, which was followed by Adebayo leaving the game with a back injury.