1 00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:02,640 Speaker 1: He's got three, but he's trying to hit kind of 2 00:00:02,640 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: a slice around this tree and get something right of 3 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:05,600 Speaker 1: his pin. 4 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:09,039 Speaker 2: Professional golf has always been one of the quieter, more 5 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:18,920 Speaker 2: genteel sports to watch, or it was until live golf 6 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:20,360 Speaker 2: crashed onto the greens. 7 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:30,480 Speaker 3: Okay, boys, here we go the first time. 8 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:33,919 Speaker 4: The Lift Tour motto is Golf but louder. 9 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:39,200 Speaker 2: The upstart rival to the PGA Tour, flush with cash 10 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:42,720 Speaker 2: from Saudi Arabia, has spent hundreds of millions of dollars 11 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:45,880 Speaker 2: to lure away some top players like Phil Mickelson. 12 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:48,440 Speaker 4: Pretty Much all the best players played on the PGA Tour, 13 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 4: at least for the last twenty years. That will never 14 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:52,519 Speaker 4: be the case again. And I think going forward, you 15 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 4: have to pick a side. You have to pick what 16 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:56,400 Speaker 4: side do you think is going to be successful? And 17 00:00:56,480 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 4: I see live golf trending upwards. I see PGA Tour 18 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:01,200 Speaker 4: training downwards, and I love the side that I'm on. 19 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 2: Other big names in the sport, like Rory McElroy have 20 00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:07,959 Speaker 2: sounded more skeptical. I don't agree with what Phil said. 21 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:11,280 Speaker 2: I understand why he said it because of the position 22 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 2: he is in. I certainly don't see the PGA Tour 23 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:18,480 Speaker 2: trending goingward at all. It's also divided fans. 24 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:23,800 Speaker 3: It's just somebody with too much stupid money, but who 25 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:24,840 Speaker 3: didn't want to play over there. 26 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:28,760 Speaker 2: It's a competition breeds excellence and that is what Live 27 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 2: Golf is forcing the PGA to do. And of course 28 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:36,000 Speaker 2: it's turned into a legal battle over whether players have 29 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:38,520 Speaker 2: the right to compete in both places. 30 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 1: They were completely opposed to the idea of having Live 31 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:45,959 Speaker 1: golfers wearing Live branded T shirts and caps at the 32 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 1: PGA Tour events. 33 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:50,440 Speaker 3: It's kind of like the popular kid in school convincing 34 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:52,760 Speaker 3: all of his friends not to talk to the new kid. 35 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 2: I'm Wescaso today on the big take, the expensive, not 36 00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 2: so quiet fight for the future of golf. There's a 37 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:17,119 Speaker 2: lot to dig into here, and let's start with Bloomberg 38 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 2: Sports writer Ira Boodway. He's been watching this rivalry unfold. Ira, 39 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 2: for the longest time, PGA was golf, and Live really 40 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:31,440 Speaker 2: threw a grenade into this entire sport. Yeah. 41 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:34,239 Speaker 4: I mean it not only brought for the first time, 42 00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 4: like a real competitor to the PGA Tour, but it 43 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 4: forced the PGA Tour to really kind of reassess some 44 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:42,640 Speaker 4: of what it was doing and pushed it to reform itself. 45 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:45,320 Speaker 4: So it's been a really disruptive force in the game. 46 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:49,320 Speaker 4: It's got Saudi Arabian money. They've poured two billion or 47 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 4: so into it out of six hundred billion that they 48 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:55,080 Speaker 4: have in this public investment fund, so it's essentially limitless money. 49 00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:58,720 Speaker 4: And they came and said, we're going to pay players more. 50 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 4: We're going to have no cut during our tournaments. So 51 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 4: this was really attractive to star players who felt like 52 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:06,840 Speaker 4: they needed more guaranteed money and that they were really 53 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:09,480 Speaker 4: driving the economics of golf and not seeing enough for war. 54 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 4: So the tour said, okay, we hear you. We're going 55 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:16,240 Speaker 4: to start adding enhanced events with bigger purses, and starting 56 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 4: next year they're going to have events with no cuts. 57 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:20,960 Speaker 2: What is new cuts mean? 58 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:24,880 Speaker 4: Typically on a PGA Tour event, you have to compete 59 00:03:24,919 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 4: for the first two days Thursday Friday, and then a 60 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:31,239 Speaker 4: certain number of golfers who are above whatever mark make 61 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 4: it through to the last two rounds to sort of 62 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 4: speed things up, and it's the ones who have a 63 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 4: chance essentially at winning, and they get rid of everybody else. 64 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:40,480 Speaker 4: So you could be a star golfer, decide to go 65 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 4: to a PGA Tour event, have a bad couple days, 66 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:45,080 Speaker 4: go home, even though you're the one that was on 67 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 4: all the commercials and that a lot of the fans 68 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:49,320 Speaker 4: showed up to see you go home with very little money. 69 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 4: You only play for two days and it kind of 70 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 4: feels like a bust. The live events don't do this. 71 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:57,840 Speaker 4: They do fifty four holes, which is live is Roman 72 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 4: numeral for fifty four. Everybody plays three. It's only forty 73 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 4: eight golfers in the field, so it's much more kind 74 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 4: of golfer friendly in that way. The tour has had 75 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 4: this long tradition of being really egalitarian, where it's like 76 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:11,800 Speaker 4: you have to compete to make money, and that's a 77 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:14,200 Speaker 4: big part of the attraction and kind of the knock 78 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:16,080 Speaker 4: on live that it's just kind of soft. Like a 79 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:19,120 Speaker 4: lot of these guys who came over, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, 80 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 4: they got huge guaranteed money contracts just to join live, 81 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 4: in Mickelson's case, reportedly two hundred million dollars. For them, 82 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:28,120 Speaker 4: it's easy money and they don't have to worry about 83 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:30,880 Speaker 4: how they're performing as much. The tour is moving a 84 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:32,680 Speaker 4: little bit in that direction and saying all right, we're 85 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:36,000 Speaker 4: going to have these so called enhanced events with bigger purses, 86 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:39,120 Speaker 4: and we will not cut anybody from the field throughout. 87 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:41,880 Speaker 4: And it's a smaller field, so there's more sort of 88 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:45,320 Speaker 4: guarantees or at least opportunity for star players to be 89 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 4: sure that they're going to get a reward for their 90 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:50,719 Speaker 4: investment of time. The tour also had started this thing 91 00:04:50,760 --> 00:04:54,560 Speaker 4: called the Player Impact Program. It's a way to reward 92 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:57,240 Speaker 4: the players who drive the most interest simply based on 93 00:04:57,440 --> 00:05:00,800 Speaker 4: their social media influence, their celebrity, there fame, and they 94 00:05:00,839 --> 00:05:03,520 Speaker 4: measure this through a formula that they have and then 95 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:05,440 Speaker 4: at the end of the year they pay those players 96 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:09,920 Speaker 4: just for being interesting. Basically, Tiger Woods always gets the most. 97 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:12,919 Speaker 4: He got fifteen million last year, and they increased that 98 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:15,919 Speaker 4: pool now to one hundred million dollars for twenty golfers. 99 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:18,279 Speaker 4: So they're doing all these things to keep the stars 100 00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:21,560 Speaker 4: happy and keep them from defecting and keep the tour interesting. 101 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 4: When Live came along, it was an amazing opportunity for 102 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 4: Greg Norman, the former world number one from Australia. He 103 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:30,560 Speaker 4: has been a strident critic of the PGA Tour for 104 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:33,480 Speaker 4: a really long time for failing to give star players 105 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:36,640 Speaker 4: enough opportunities and reward them for the fact that they 106 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:39,080 Speaker 4: are the people that fans tune in to see. Greg 107 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:42,919 Speaker 4: Norman was sort of the leader of that effort to 108 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:46,120 Speaker 4: get the tour to change the way it treated players, 109 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:49,239 Speaker 4: and so when the Live Tour came around and offered 110 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:51,560 Speaker 4: him the job of CEO, he jumped at that because 111 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 4: he saw this as a way to finally get at 112 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:56,680 Speaker 4: the PGA Tour and shake it up. 113 00:05:57,600 --> 00:06:01,040 Speaker 2: So how many of the players have moved over to So. 114 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:05,160 Speaker 4: The biggest names to go over are Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson. 115 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:08,920 Speaker 4: You've also seen Brooks Kopka, Cameron Smith, Bryson, De Shambeau, 116 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:11,880 Speaker 4: Bubba Watson, Sergio Garcia. These are some of the more 117 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:16,760 Speaker 4: well known guys. They don't have, notably the world number 118 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:19,400 Speaker 4: one and the guy who just won the Masters, John Rahm. 119 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:23,400 Speaker 4: They don't have Tiger Woods, and they don't have Roy McElroy, 120 00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:26,960 Speaker 4: and McElroy in particular has been a very vocal leader 121 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:30,320 Speaker 4: of the resistance to this. Golf as a game is massive, 122 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 4: but man's professional golf is a very small part of that, 123 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:35,000 Speaker 4: and what it's done to the world of man's professional 124 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:39,040 Speaker 4: golf is ripped it apart. Last summer when Woods flew 125 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:41,920 Speaker 4: to Delaware, McElroy was there a lot of the top golfers. 126 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 4: They got together to say, look, we know you have 127 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:48,080 Speaker 4: problems with the way the tour is set up and 128 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:50,280 Speaker 4: we want to fix those, and the tour is going 129 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:53,480 Speaker 4: to listen to us this time, but stay with us. 130 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:56,560 Speaker 4: And it kind of galvanized them. So the defections have 131 00:06:56,720 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 4: slowed and it's really given the tour a lot of 132 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:04,800 Speaker 4: motivation and urgency to deal with these problems. It's galvanized 133 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:07,359 Speaker 4: a lot of the players around working with the tour, 134 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:10,320 Speaker 4: and it's given them a common enemy. And honestly, I 135 00:07:10,320 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 4: think for the tour it's been maybe a blessing in disguise, 136 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:15,040 Speaker 4: because not only does it bring all of that to 137 00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:18,000 Speaker 4: help them solve these old standing problems, but it makes 138 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:20,280 Speaker 4: them look good by comparison, just in terms of sort 139 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:23,440 Speaker 4: of public relations. You know, golf has a reputation as 140 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:28,160 Speaker 4: a kind of crusty, retrograde sport and certainly has earned that, 141 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:30,600 Speaker 4: you know, with the clubs that don't allow women or 142 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:34,080 Speaker 4: minorities in, and that kind of reputation that it has, 143 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:36,200 Speaker 4: but if you look at it next to the Live Tour, 144 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:39,280 Speaker 4: which is backed by Saudi Arabia, it kind of gives 145 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:42,640 Speaker 4: the PGA Tour this this sheen of like, actually, they're 146 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:44,280 Speaker 4: the good guys in the world of golf. 147 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:47,600 Speaker 2: One of the ways, probably the way that Live has 148 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:50,280 Speaker 2: been able to push those big players is with big money. 149 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:54,920 Speaker 2: How big a difference is the money between say a 150 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:57,480 Speaker 2: tour perse and a live perse. 151 00:07:57,920 --> 00:08:00,720 Speaker 4: The typical live event is a tour twenty five million 152 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 4: dollar perse, and that's split. You know, they have a 153 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:06,840 Speaker 4: team format, so it's four teams of twelve. Out of 154 00:08:06,880 --> 00:08:10,400 Speaker 4: that twenty five million. Certainly you're gonna probably go home 155 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:13,160 Speaker 4: with even as the bottom finisher, amount of money that 156 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:15,320 Speaker 4: you'd really have to do well in an old school 157 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:17,920 Speaker 4: PG Tour event to get. And some of these guys 158 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 4: like Michelson, when he went over to the Live Tour, 159 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:26,160 Speaker 4: he lost deals with Amstell and KPMG, a lot of 160 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:29,680 Speaker 4: his big endorsement box. So the gap financially, even though 161 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:33,120 Speaker 4: the guaranteed money is definitely bigger still with the Live Tour, 162 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:36,400 Speaker 4: the gap between them I think has begun to close 163 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:38,760 Speaker 4: because of what the PGA Tour has done. 164 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:41,200 Speaker 2: And what about for fans. You mentioned that golf has 165 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:43,880 Speaker 2: this reputation as kind of a crusty old sport, and 166 00:08:43,920 --> 00:08:46,560 Speaker 2: Live has tried to shake that up and create kind 167 00:08:46,559 --> 00:08:50,480 Speaker 2: of a more party atmosphere out on the course. Yeah. 168 00:08:50,520 --> 00:08:53,439 Speaker 4: I mean their slogan is golf but louder. You know, 169 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:57,080 Speaker 4: if you watch these events on TV, you'll overhear sort 170 00:08:57,080 --> 00:08:59,880 Speaker 4: of club music in the background sometimes, which they allow 171 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:02,400 Speaker 4: near the tees. All the guys are wearing shorts. That 172 00:09:02,440 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 4: looks a little different, but you know, ultimately it's still golf. 173 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:08,120 Speaker 4: If you're not interested in watching guys putt and seeing 174 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:11,079 Speaker 4: that shot tracer follow the parablo the ball, then you're 175 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:12,520 Speaker 4: not going to want to watch this, you know. In 176 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:14,320 Speaker 4: terms of like whether they make it more of a 177 00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:17,200 Speaker 4: party experience for people who are there, I think that's 178 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:19,760 Speaker 4: the idea that they're going to try to unbutton this 179 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:21,319 Speaker 4: a little bit and make it more fun. 180 00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:24,680 Speaker 2: Well for fans watching at home, though it does create 181 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:27,520 Speaker 2: this kind of dilemma, who do you watch You can't 182 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:30,480 Speaker 2: see some of your favorite players play together if one 183 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 2: has gone to Live and one is stuck with the tour. 184 00:09:32,679 --> 00:09:35,800 Speaker 2: How are fans responding to this? As you know, just 185 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:37,800 Speaker 2: a sport they like to watch. Well. 186 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:40,679 Speaker 4: The one interesting thing about this is that for most 187 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:43,760 Speaker 4: golf fans, you really tune in for the four majors, 188 00:09:44,080 --> 00:09:47,880 Speaker 4: the Masters, the British Open, the US Open, and the 189 00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:51,640 Speaker 4: PGA Championship, and those are not officially part of the 190 00:09:51,679 --> 00:09:54,560 Speaker 4: PGA Tour. There's a big dust up right now about 191 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:57,960 Speaker 4: sort of how do you qualify for those majors, and 192 00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:01,439 Speaker 4: players who are on the live tour are not being 193 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:05,480 Speaker 4: credited for their results by the OWGR so official World 194 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:10,360 Speaker 4: Golf rankings, They at the moment are not recognizing live 195 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:13,520 Speaker 4: results as counting towards those rankings, and the way that 196 00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:17,360 Speaker 4: you qualify for the majors is according to those rankings. 197 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:20,079 Speaker 4: So golfers who are performing well on the live tour 198 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:22,839 Speaker 4: are falling down the rankings and at risk of not 199 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:24,479 Speaker 4: qualifying for majors. 200 00:10:24,360 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 2: And why don't they count them? 201 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:29,200 Speaker 4: It's basically it's part of this conflict right between sort 202 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:32,199 Speaker 4: of the PGA Tour and old golf and this new 203 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:35,160 Speaker 4: upstart disruptor and one of the levers that's there is 204 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:38,480 Speaker 4: kind of the governing bodies getting to decide what counts 205 00:10:38,559 --> 00:10:41,240 Speaker 4: towards your standings, and at the moment, the way it's 206 00:10:41,240 --> 00:10:43,560 Speaker 4: set up live doesn't count. Now. I think that's a 207 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:47,880 Speaker 4: matter of intense negotiation. But what has not happened is 208 00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:51,319 Speaker 4: that the majors can decide for themselves whether they want 209 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:53,880 Speaker 4: to throw out anybody who's joined the Live Tour, and 210 00:10:53,880 --> 00:10:55,840 Speaker 4: they have not done that. So if you're tuning in 211 00:10:55,880 --> 00:10:58,600 Speaker 4: for the Masters, you're still going to see golfers on 212 00:10:58,640 --> 00:11:01,080 Speaker 4: the Live Tour competing, so it's not like they've just 213 00:11:01,160 --> 00:11:03,800 Speaker 4: disappeared from your world as a golf fan. But it 214 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:06,720 Speaker 4: is true that on the tour, you know you're not 215 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:08,679 Speaker 4: going to see some of the big names and some 216 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:11,480 Speaker 4: of the best golfers in the world. My sense is, though, 217 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:14,800 Speaker 4: that enough of the best golfers are sticking around that 218 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:17,080 Speaker 4: the tour is where you go to see who's the 219 00:11:17,080 --> 00:11:19,320 Speaker 4: best right now, and the live is sort of like 220 00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:22,960 Speaker 4: this interesting sidelight that if you're really into golf, maybe 221 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:23,880 Speaker 4: you watch that too. 222 00:11:24,679 --> 00:11:27,440 Speaker 2: After the break. What does Saudi Arabia hope to get 223 00:11:27,520 --> 00:11:29,400 Speaker 2: from its big investment in golf. 224 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:39,959 Speaker 4: Anyone who's ever played this game understands what a hard game. 225 00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:43,000 Speaker 2: It is, So they say, who's your favorite golfer? All 226 00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:43,319 Speaker 2: of them? 227 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:46,360 Speaker 4: Anyone who's ever picked up a club a root for them. 228 00:11:46,559 --> 00:11:46,880 Speaker 1: I red. 229 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:50,839 Speaker 2: You mentioned the controversy with the backers of the tour, 230 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:53,920 Speaker 2: which is Saudi Arabia. There's been a lot of tension there, 231 00:11:54,040 --> 00:11:57,439 Speaker 2: especially charges that Saudi Arabia is in this for kind 232 00:11:57,440 --> 00:12:00,440 Speaker 2: of sports watching, the idea that they're going to under 233 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:03,720 Speaker 2: their reputation by sponsoring a big sport and make people 234 00:12:03,800 --> 00:12:06,840 Speaker 2: forget about some of the things that that government is doing. 235 00:12:07,360 --> 00:12:11,600 Speaker 4: Yeah, So the Public Investment Fund which backs the live 236 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:15,640 Speaker 4: tour is part of this broader effort by Saudi Arabia 237 00:12:15,679 --> 00:12:19,720 Speaker 4: to diversify its economy. But within that they have entered 238 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:22,760 Speaker 4: the world of sports. They have bought Newcastle United in 239 00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:25,800 Speaker 4: the Premier League and they started this live tour, and 240 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:29,840 Speaker 4: that is maybe not just about diversifying your economy because frankly, 241 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:32,319 Speaker 4: the odds of them making a ton of money running 242 00:12:32,360 --> 00:12:34,840 Speaker 4: a golf tour not great. A lot of what that 243 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:37,880 Speaker 4: is about, or at least people speculate, is about changing 244 00:12:37,920 --> 00:12:42,920 Speaker 4: the conversation about Saudi Arabia toward things that people enjoy, 245 00:12:43,040 --> 00:12:46,160 Speaker 4: right watching golf, watching soccer, and so that is the 246 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 4: definition of sportswa washing and that is part of maybe 247 00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:50,760 Speaker 4: why it's an i'll pill battle for the Live Tour 248 00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:54,079 Speaker 4: they have to overcome inasmuch as there's resistance to that 249 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:56,360 Speaker 4: among fans around the world. 250 00:12:56,840 --> 00:13:00,199 Speaker 2: Has there been resistance among fans among players? Some of 251 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:02,480 Speaker 2: the players who've joined Live have come under a lot 252 00:13:02,520 --> 00:13:03,280 Speaker 2: of criticism. 253 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:06,200 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean Phil Mickelson has borne the brunt of it. 254 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:09,840 Speaker 4: As I mentioned, he lost some sponsorships, and that has 255 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:12,560 Speaker 4: happened to other players. You know, it's not always clear 256 00:13:12,640 --> 00:13:15,400 Speaker 4: that these sponsors are coming out and saying because you 257 00:13:15,559 --> 00:13:18,320 Speaker 4: join the Live Tour and because of its associations with 258 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:20,880 Speaker 4: Saudi Arabia, we are no longer doing business with you. 259 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:23,800 Speaker 4: But there are these sort of conveniently timed we're going 260 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:26,640 Speaker 4: to part ways statements that happen when players have moved 261 00:13:26,679 --> 00:13:29,400 Speaker 4: over to the Live Tour, So there's been that blowback. 262 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:32,520 Speaker 4: My suspicion is that if these are the best players 263 00:13:32,559 --> 00:13:36,240 Speaker 4: competing in the most fun events, then people will eventually 264 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:39,000 Speaker 4: migrate to it, and that its struggles are really more 265 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:42,280 Speaker 4: about it's not winning on the product level. Right, It's 266 00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:45,560 Speaker 4: not the best golf in the world. And I think 267 00:13:45,600 --> 00:13:47,880 Speaker 4: there's even maybe among golf fans a sense that I 268 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 4: want to see guys have to win to get paid. 269 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:53,600 Speaker 4: That's kind of the point of this. That pressure and 270 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 4: that needing to perform is what makes us exciting. 271 00:13:56,800 --> 00:13:57,679 Speaker 2: Like the tour does. 272 00:13:57,960 --> 00:14:00,600 Speaker 4: The tour has stakes every time. I mean, the tour 273 00:14:00,760 --> 00:14:03,080 Speaker 4: is ratcheting back a little bit on that idea that 274 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:05,720 Speaker 4: like you basically don't get paid if you don't perform 275 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 4: on any given tour event. They're making it a little 276 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:10,720 Speaker 4: bit more like if you show up, you'll probably get 277 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:14,240 Speaker 4: a decent payday, but it's still much more tilted toward 278 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:17,960 Speaker 4: paying players who perform that weekend, and I think that's 279 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:21,400 Speaker 4: something that fans want to see guys performing under pressure 280 00:14:21,520 --> 00:14:22,800 Speaker 4: in order to get their pay day. 281 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:26,600 Speaker 2: You said that it's going to be difficult for a 282 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:28,600 Speaker 2: Live to wind up making a ton of money off 283 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:31,560 Speaker 2: of this. Is there feeling in kind of the sports 284 00:14:31,560 --> 00:14:33,440 Speaker 2: world that they're in it for the long haul, that 285 00:14:33,480 --> 00:14:35,720 Speaker 2: they're committed that we're going to see Live five years, 286 00:14:35,760 --> 00:14:37,200 Speaker 2: ten years down the road. 287 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:39,760 Speaker 4: I think that's going to be really fascinating to watch 288 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:43,760 Speaker 4: that unfold, Like, what is their appetite for this if 289 00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:46,000 Speaker 4: it looks kind of dead in the water. I mean, 290 00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:49,800 Speaker 4: they did a deal with the CW for their media rights, 291 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:52,640 Speaker 4: and it is a kind of out of the way network. 292 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:54,880 Speaker 4: By their own admission, it's sort of a second rate 293 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:57,960 Speaker 4: deal that they feel like the tour and the tour's 294 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:01,680 Speaker 4: interference in their business kind of left them relegated to 295 00:15:01,760 --> 00:15:04,960 Speaker 4: that world. And it's a deal that's an advertising revenue share, 296 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:07,000 Speaker 4: you know. It's not even like the CW went out 297 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:08,680 Speaker 4: and paid them a bunch of money for their media 298 00:15:08,760 --> 00:15:11,560 Speaker 4: rights and they're only drawing a few hundred thousand viewers. 299 00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:16,080 Speaker 4: So how long does the public Investment Fund want to 300 00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:18,800 Speaker 4: stick with something if it's not a winner in the marketplace. 301 00:15:19,280 --> 00:15:23,160 Speaker 4: They have the money to do it indefinitely, and I 302 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:25,600 Speaker 4: think probably partly what they want to see is how 303 00:15:25,600 --> 00:15:30,920 Speaker 4: the legal battle unfolds. But I don't know what their 304 00:15:30,920 --> 00:15:33,480 Speaker 4: appetite is for doing this if it really is a 305 00:15:33,480 --> 00:15:37,200 Speaker 4: money loser and just kind of a reputational liability. 306 00:15:37,760 --> 00:15:43,040 Speaker 2: Obviously, PGA Tour is trying to stop live. How do 307 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:46,880 Speaker 2: you see that playing out? Can they really tell players, no, 308 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 2: you are not allowed to play for anyone else. 309 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:52,760 Speaker 4: I think they have to be really careful, honestly, because 310 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:56,120 Speaker 4: also that brings in federal regulators looking at sort of 311 00:15:56,160 --> 00:15:59,640 Speaker 4: antitrusts and monopoly issues and investigating how the tour operates 312 00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:02,640 Speaker 4: in that guard and really they have over their history 313 00:16:02,760 --> 00:16:06,800 Speaker 4: been allowed really broad latitude to kind of dominate the 314 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:10,440 Speaker 4: world of professional golf and the schedules of the players 315 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:15,320 Speaker 4: on the tour. They really are well served by focusing 316 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:18,040 Speaker 4: more on that battle in the marketplace. I get why 317 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:20,240 Speaker 4: they want to do that, but I think really their 318 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:22,400 Speaker 4: best move is what they're doing to try to just 319 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:25,760 Speaker 4: convince players that this is the place to play. You know, 320 00:16:25,840 --> 00:16:28,680 Speaker 4: we are listening to your concerns and if you want 321 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:30,880 Speaker 4: to be a famous golfer and get rich golfing, you 322 00:16:30,920 --> 00:16:32,520 Speaker 4: should golf on the PGA Tour. 323 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:35,680 Speaker 2: Hi, Ron, great talking to you, Thanks for being here. 324 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:36,200 Speaker 4: Thank you. 325 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:40,720 Speaker 2: As we've heard, the dispute between Live and the PGA 326 00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:44,160 Speaker 2: Tour is also playing out in court filings, so I 327 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:48,240 Speaker 2: wanted to talk to Bloomberg reporters Malfi Nayak and Eric Larson. 328 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:51,880 Speaker 2: They're covering the legal back and forth between the two sides. 329 00:16:52,560 --> 00:16:55,200 Speaker 3: So as soon as LIV entered the scene and started 330 00:16:55,240 --> 00:16:59,160 Speaker 3: poaching some of these big players, PGA Tour immediately started 331 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:03,120 Speaker 3: banning these plays from participating in PGA tours as punishment, 332 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:07,879 Speaker 3: accusing them of violating their contracts, and Live shot back 333 00:17:08,040 --> 00:17:12,320 Speaker 3: by suing in federal court accusing PGA Tour of violating 334 00:17:12,440 --> 00:17:15,760 Speaker 3: US anti trust law by behaving in a monopolistic way. 335 00:17:16,440 --> 00:17:19,920 Speaker 3: And that is a similar type of laws that companies 336 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:22,000 Speaker 3: accuse each other of breaking all the time if they 337 00:17:22,040 --> 00:17:26,399 Speaker 3: engage in anti competitive behavior. That is where we find 338 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:29,320 Speaker 3: these two competitors now in federal court in San Jose 339 00:17:29,440 --> 00:17:33,040 Speaker 3: in California, fighting over which one of them is wrong here, 340 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:38,200 Speaker 3: whether PGA is violating US anti trust law, or, as 341 00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:41,720 Speaker 3: PGA claims in a countersuit it filed, whether Live is 342 00:17:41,760 --> 00:17:45,240 Speaker 3: actually in the wrong here by using its deep pockets 343 00:17:45,280 --> 00:17:48,480 Speaker 3: to convince these players to violate their contracts. 344 00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:51,919 Speaker 1: In addition to Liv's claim that the PGA Toor is 345 00:17:51,920 --> 00:17:56,440 Speaker 1: a monopolist, PGA Toor is accused by Live of also 346 00:17:56,880 --> 00:18:02,480 Speaker 1: intimidating sponsors and broad US networks of doing any business 347 00:18:02,520 --> 00:18:06,120 Speaker 1: with Live or any business with Live golfers. And we'll 348 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:08,520 Speaker 1: have to see how that bears out at trial, whether 349 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:11,160 Speaker 1: there'll be enough evidence for them, you know, to back 350 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:11,960 Speaker 1: those claims. 351 00:18:12,760 --> 00:18:15,000 Speaker 2: Malti, What does PGA Tour say about that? 352 00:18:15,640 --> 00:18:18,880 Speaker 1: So the PGA Tour is arguing that this has nothing 353 00:18:18,920 --> 00:18:22,040 Speaker 1: to do with them thwarting competition, But it's all about 354 00:18:22,280 --> 00:18:24,800 Speaker 1: the investment and the sort of brand that the PGA 355 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:27,120 Speaker 1: Tour has built. What they're saying is that they don't 356 00:18:27,160 --> 00:18:30,080 Speaker 1: want live to freeride on their reputation that they have 357 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:32,800 Speaker 1: spent a lot of time building over the years. 358 00:18:33,760 --> 00:18:36,640 Speaker 2: And I should say that representatives for Live Golf didn't 359 00:18:36,680 --> 00:18:40,760 Speaker 2: respond to requests for comment for the Bloomberg article about 360 00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:44,360 Speaker 2: this case. Eric, you said, the PGA is accusing these 361 00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:48,640 Speaker 2: golfers of breaking their contracts with the tour. If you're 362 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:51,600 Speaker 2: a professional golfer, you only allowed to play for PGA. 363 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:53,560 Speaker 3: Well, I guess that's one of the things we'll we'll 364 00:18:53,600 --> 00:18:55,280 Speaker 3: find out in this court case. But I think the 365 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:59,720 Speaker 3: idea for PGA Tour is they're saying that if you're 366 00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:03,560 Speaker 3: signed up with us, we are pooling all of your resources, 367 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:07,800 Speaker 3: all of these golfers talents. They're going to combine that 368 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:11,520 Speaker 3: talent and get the maximum value from it by letting 369 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:15,159 Speaker 3: all these broadcasters and these marketing partners and advertisers know 370 00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:17,200 Speaker 3: that you're going to be here for all of these 371 00:19:17,240 --> 00:19:21,000 Speaker 3: tournaments and that we have sort of this exclusive access 372 00:19:21,080 --> 00:19:23,400 Speaker 3: to you and your skill and I think that that's 373 00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:27,239 Speaker 3: basically what they're saying is we're here PGA working for 374 00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:29,160 Speaker 3: you to get the best deal, and we can't do 375 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:31,480 Speaker 3: that if you're off playing with all the other tournaments. 376 00:19:32,760 --> 00:19:36,320 Speaker 2: When we come back, how is this dispute likely to 377 00:19:36,359 --> 00:19:37,320 Speaker 2: play out? 378 00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:47,639 Speaker 5: All the other sports have had organizations break away from 379 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:50,480 Speaker 5: them and they finally merged. Football did it with the AFL. 380 00:19:50,520 --> 00:19:53,320 Speaker 5: They made the NFL might pick four five years but 381 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:57,639 Speaker 5: for Bill Merge and the one big international golf and 382 00:19:57,720 --> 00:19:59,440 Speaker 5: we'll see all this louds back together again. 383 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:02,760 Speaker 2: By the way, all these strong opinions you've been hearing 384 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:06,120 Speaker 2: today are from Mauthi's interviews with fans at golf events. 385 00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:11,880 Speaker 2: PGA Tour does allow its golfers to compete in other countries, 386 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:15,680 Speaker 2: and they don't label those as off limits to its members, 387 00:20:15,720 --> 00:20:16,480 Speaker 2: So why. 388 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:19,479 Speaker 1: Not live So I think that there are some of 389 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:22,600 Speaker 1: these leagues, like the European Tour, the DP Tour, like 390 00:20:22,640 --> 00:20:26,520 Speaker 1: they have all these long standing agreements in place for 391 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:29,600 Speaker 1: a long time, but they are in different continents. So 392 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:33,359 Speaker 1: we're talking about this territory here on American soil and 393 00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:37,119 Speaker 1: them sort of being the dominant player and having this 394 00:20:37,240 --> 00:20:40,920 Speaker 1: new upstart challenge them here. So I think it's sort 395 00:20:40,920 --> 00:20:43,880 Speaker 1: of this fight for dominance in America. Although there are 396 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:47,160 Speaker 1: all these larger new political issues playing in the background. 397 00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:50,400 Speaker 1: When it comes to the court case itself, the court 398 00:20:50,520 --> 00:20:52,359 Speaker 1: is only going to pay attention to the anti trust 399 00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:54,560 Speaker 1: claims Malfi. 400 00:20:54,640 --> 00:20:56,200 Speaker 2: What about fans are they weighing in? 401 00:20:56,880 --> 00:20:59,400 Speaker 1: I spoke with one fan I remember who said that 402 00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:02,399 Speaker 1: she was very hurt by the fact that some of 403 00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:05,840 Speaker 1: the players she loved had jumped ship to this league 404 00:21:05,840 --> 00:21:08,560 Speaker 1: back by Saudi Arabia. And at the same time, there 405 00:21:08,560 --> 00:21:11,240 Speaker 1: were some who were very sympathetic and said, it's fine. 406 00:21:11,280 --> 00:21:13,440 Speaker 1: They did it for the money, and I totally get that. 407 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:15,600 Speaker 1: You know, they have a choice, they can go where 408 00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:18,680 Speaker 1: they want. So it seems like some fans are okay 409 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:21,600 Speaker 1: with what happened in terms of this new Saudi Arabian 410 00:21:21,680 --> 00:21:24,879 Speaker 1: league coming forward and poaching some of the PGA Tour players, 411 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:27,000 Speaker 1: and some of them are sympathetic and they're like, we 412 00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:28,640 Speaker 1: get it, It's totally fine. 413 00:21:28,960 --> 00:21:31,800 Speaker 2: Eric. As you continue to watch this case, what are 414 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:34,680 Speaker 2: you looking for? How do you think ultimately it plays out. 415 00:21:35,280 --> 00:21:37,639 Speaker 3: It'll be interesting to see whether Saudi Arabia follows it 416 00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:39,520 Speaker 3: through or whether it says, you know what, this isn't 417 00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:41,760 Speaker 3: worth the trouble and just backs out. 418 00:21:42,680 --> 00:21:44,960 Speaker 1: If the case goes to trial and it's set for 419 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:47,760 Speaker 1: me next year, what I really want to see at 420 00:21:47,800 --> 00:21:50,840 Speaker 1: trial is some sort of evidence that basically gives us 421 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:53,919 Speaker 1: a better understanding of what Live Golf's business model is 422 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:56,439 Speaker 1: and what the endgame is in terms of whether they 423 00:21:56,480 --> 00:21:59,720 Speaker 1: actually want to profit from this, because they have said 424 00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:03,000 Speaker 1: in fis that so far they're not being able to 425 00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:06,080 Speaker 1: make a lot of money because of what the PGA 426 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:09,760 Speaker 1: Tour is allegedly doing. This is probably the first time 427 00:22:09,800 --> 00:22:12,600 Speaker 1: the PGA business model, as well as how it operates, 428 00:22:12,600 --> 00:22:17,000 Speaker 1: its handbook and regulations that it has for players, are 429 00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:19,520 Speaker 1: being tested in courts. I'm very curtious to see how 430 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:21,680 Speaker 1: this plays out in the future, just in terms of 431 00:22:22,440 --> 00:22:25,359 Speaker 1: what this means for a legacy player that's been around 432 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:26,040 Speaker 1: for so long. 433 00:22:27,160 --> 00:22:29,760 Speaker 2: Malthy, Eric, thanks so much for coming on the show, 434 00:22:30,160 --> 00:22:34,040 Speaker 2: Thanks for having us, Thanks for listening to us here 435 00:22:34,080 --> 00:22:36,560 Speaker 2: at the Big Take. It's a daily podcast from Bloomberg 436 00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:40,800 Speaker 2: and iHeartRadio. For more shows from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, 437 00:22:40,960 --> 00:22:44,119 Speaker 2: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen, and we'd love to 438 00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:47,160 Speaker 2: hear from you, email us questions or comments to Big 439 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:50,840 Speaker 2: Take at bloomberg dot net. The supervising producer of the 440 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:54,879 Speaker 2: Big Take is Vicky Bergolina. Our senior producer is Catherine Fink. 441 00:22:55,240 --> 00:22:59,400 Speaker 2: Our producers are Moe Barrow and Michael Flero. Phild Garcia 442 00:22:59,480 --> 00:23:03,240 Speaker 2: is our in. Our original music was composed by Leosidrin. 443 00:23:03,560 --> 00:23:06,960 Speaker 2: I'm west Kasova. We'll be back tomorrow with another Big Take. 444 00:23:10,119 --> 00:23:10,159 Speaker 3: H