Although it has attracted the most famous stars of the game in the world, the new golf league “LIV” backed by Saudi Arabia is facing great difficulty in obtaining a major media partner in the United States to broadcast the events of the tournament.
People familiar with the matter told the newspaper:The Wall Street newspaper“Amazon and Apple have shown no interest in purchasing the rights to broadcast LIV League matches on their digital platforms.
The American newspaper, citing its sources, indicated that the LIV League has reached out to Amazon and Apple, but the talks have not progressed to serious negotiations.
People familiar with the matter said that Al-Douri, who is backed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, was unable to strike a deal with media networks including ESPN, CBS, NBC and Fox.
A LIV golf executive said it was too early to tell if there were any parties interested in buying the tournament broadcasting rights.
The official added that the new golf league has started to enter the auction phase to get media rights ahead of the new season in 2023, as the tournament plans to close a big deal.
And the Saudis had signed up with the most famous names in the game of golf to enter their new league after “luring them with money,” according to the New York Times newspaper, which said the Saudi-funded league is coming to compete with the BGA championships, tournament that for decades has been the most important event, the highest level of the golf world championships and its first standard.
And the “Wall Street Journal” reported that networks like “CBS”, “NBS”, “NBC” and ESPN have “BGA” tournaments.
In the US, the LIV tournament can be viewed for free via YouTube and the tournament website.
A person familiar with the matter said that tournament matches are also available on the DAZN sports broadcast service, which broadcasts events as part of free deals. “We are optimistic given our players and the quality of our products,” said Will Steiger, press officer at LIV.
Following the start of the Saudi-backed championship earlier this year, the BGA Championships announced that players participating in the Saudi-backed LIV championship – and any other players joining them – “do not. are more eligible to participate “in rounds launched before 93 years.
Johnson, former world number one and holder of two major leagues, and southpaw genius Mickelson, who is the second-greatest player of the last twenty years after Tiger Woods, responded to Saudi offers, overcoming a barrier that many believed could not. be crossed.
The new Saudi Arabian-funded league brought together 48 dissident players, inevitably tempted by the excessive financial rewards of over $ 250 million, spread over 8 rounds around the world, and in a single format over three days without interruption.
Among the 48 dissident players, 16 stars are ranked in the top 100 players in the world.
Human rights organizations have long accused Saudi Arabia of using sport as a means of distracting attention from its human rights primacy.
But the oil-rich Gulf kingdom says hosting major sporting events is part of its drive to attract more tourists, business and investment, while it undertakes reforms aimed at reducing its reliance on black gold revenues.
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