Thursday, October 22, 2026
Exclusive
Media

Saudi-Backed Golf League Seeks $500M Rights Deal

  • New competitor to PGA Tour could seek a global deal – or divide up rights on country by country basis.
  • Ex-ESPN exec Sean Bratches already has ‘short list’ of potential golf announcers.
Caitlyn Jordan-Naples Daily News/Design: John Regula

Want more from Front Office Sports
in your search results?

Add Front Office Sports on Google

Greg Norman’s LIV Golf Invitational Series is ready to start negotiations with potential streaming and broadcast partners. 

The ambitious aim, sources told Front Office Sports, is to score up to $500 million for global media rights.

The Saudi-backed golf startup may seek a global deal or divide its rights on a country-by-country basis. But streaming giants like DAZN make sense for an international series that will tee it up in North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

“Streaming platforms, particularly the Netflixes, the Amazons, the Apples, are truly global. That’s one path we could pursue,” said Sean Bratches, a former ESPN executive and LIV’s chief commercial officer. 

Bratches acknowledged the other path, a bidding process for each country, claiming there is “interest across the board.”

  • LIV already has a “short list” of potential announcers, including three “interesting names.”
  • No players have signed with the new rival to the PGA Tour yet. 

In March, the PGA Tour agreed to nine-year extensions with CBS, NBC, and ESPN worth $7 billion from 2022 through 2030. 

Plenty of Purse Money

Launching in June, the league will feature an eight-tournament schedule that will offer $25 million purses and only 48 competitors per event. Sites include New Jersey, Portland, Boston, Chicago, London, Bangkok, and Saudi Arabia.

Download the FOS App

The business of sports, in your pocket.

QR code to download the app

Scan the QR code to get the app now.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Troy Aikman

Examining Troy Aikman’s Options After J.J. Watt-CBS Deal 

Aikman has yet to receive a formal offer to return to ESPN.
Mat Ishbia
Exclusive

White Sox Co-Owner Mat Ishbia Endorses MLB Salary Cap—and Floor

The club owner told FOS he supports major economic reform.
Los Angeles, CA - October 27, 2025 - Dodger Stadium: Jeff Passan during game three of the 2025 World Series.

Jeff Passan: Brewers-Rays World Series Won’t Head Off MLB Lockout

Passan also addressed the backlash he received to comments about the Dodgers.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

10/22/26 – Rays-Brewers Can’t Stop Lockout, $771 to Watch NBA, Jaguars Fans’ Afterlife

0:00

Featured Today

Football - NFL - Houston Texans v Jacksonville Jaguars - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - October 18, 2026 The necklace of a Jacksonville Jaguars fan outside the stadium before the match

Die-Hard Sports Fandom Has Reached the Afterlife

Will fans pay $6,000 to memorialize their team loyalty?
October 20, 2026

Why Europe Is Pumping Out NBA Superstars

The NBA and NCAA have an increasingly European flavor.
October 15, 2026

College Flag Football Is Outgrowing Its DIY Era

Women have been building the college game themselves at the club level.
Oct 5, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas arrives at the arena before the Penguins host the Winnipeg Jets at PPG Paints Arena
October 12, 2026

NHL’s New Wave of GMs Is Built Different

“I am in the prediction business,” Devils GM Sunny Mehta tells FOS.
Action Images/Peter Cziborra
October 9, 2026

Is Leicester City’s $264 Million Price Tag Too Rich for Hungry Investors?

After falling from grace, how much is a former top club worth?
Zach Lowe Sean Fennessey The Ringer

Substack CEO: No Deal With The Ringer, Even as Talent Flocks to Platform

Zach Lowe is the latest Ringer talent to launch a Substack newsletter.
October 22, 2026

FIFA’s World Cup Rights Shake-Up Could Favor NBC Over Fox

It’s bad news for Fox and great news for Telemundo’s parent, NBC.
NBC Sports Logo
October 22, 2026

Comcast-NBCUniversal Split Comes With $1B Cost, Layoffs

The NBC Sports parent company will take on a hefty restructuring charge.
Sponsored

Blake Griffin’s Plan for Media Domination

The former NBA star is building a second act across media & entertainment.
Aug 3, 2024; Canton, OH, USA; Houston Texans former defensive end J.J. Watt in attendance at the Class of 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
October 22, 2026

NFL TV’s Analyst Market Tightens as CBS Extends JJ Watt

Watt is officially Tony Romo’s full-time replacement at CBS.
Oct 15, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; MLB on Fox broadcasters Kevin Burkhardt, Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz and Derek Jeter during game four of the NLCS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium.
October 22, 2026

Fox, MLB Look to Counter Lower World Series Expectations

MLB is riding a wave of postseason audience expansion.
October 21, 2026

College Football’s Emerging Powers Are Shaking Up TV Ratings

BYU–Notre Dame averaged 9.2 million viewers on ABC.
October 21, 2026

NBC, USA Claim Record Audience for Start of WNBA Finals

The Finals are tied 1–1 with the series shifting to Atlanta.