After splashing the cash during their debut season and signing some of the sport’s biggest names, LIV Golf officials are reportedly tightening the purse strings to the frustration of rebels
LIV Golf officials have ‘voiced their frustration’ as they look to keep up the franchise’ momentum and attract major sponsors.
Some 18 LIV Golf rebels will be heading to Augusta National next week as the rivalry between the breakaway series and PGA Tour members threatens to explode at the Masters. During their debut year, LIV Golf signed some of the world’s biggest stars including Open Champion Cameron Smith along with former Masters winners Patrick Reed, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia, Bubba Watson and Charl Schwartzel.
The breakaway series promised multi-million pound contracts and huge prize funds which sent shockwaves through the sport.
However, in their maiden season the Saudi-funded circuit made ‘virtually zero revenue’, while economy expert Steve Levitt claimed he did not see the the breakaway tour ‘lasting more than a couple of years’ if its current model was anything to go by.
The restricted 48-player field is split up into 12 teams with players competing individually, but with their scores also contributing towards a team award. LIV Golf wants each team to have its own sponsor and players also working on their own sponsorship deals.
Sports Illustrated claim that LIV Golf officials are starting to voice their frustration about the slow process of attracting sponsors.
Former Masters winner Patrick Reed will head to Augusta next week looking to repeat his 2018 success (
Image: Getty Images)
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The report states that teams are ramping up staff and starting to sell sponsorships, but the process is experiencing ‘growing pains’.
It’s reported that LIV officials have complained to teams directly that they are not doing enough to generate revenue.
All is not perfect amongst the LIV Golf rebels who reportedly had a number of questions for the Saudi-backed series’ bosses, during a mandatory meeting ahead of their second event of the season in Tucson.
Sergio Garcia and his Fireballs team are the only to have attracted a sponsor so far (
Image: Getty Images)
The meeting followed a report from The Fire Pit Collective, which revealed that topics discussed within the all-player meeting included a new pace-of-play policy, drug testing procedures, and the increase and sharing of prize money and the forwarded timeline of the breakaway circuit.
LIV Golf are also reportedly set to ‘stop paying travel expenses’ for its players and caddies as the tighten the purse strings to the frustration of rebels. An increase from 10 events to 14 this season has also reportedly angered some rebel members.
However, leaving LIV Golf might not be simple with rebels suspended from the PGA Tour and ‘face paying over £300million’ for breaking their contracts.
Source : Miror
