Back at the beginning of August, we wondered if Apple (or Amazon) may see its way clear to inking a deal to stream LIV Golf events live without commercial interruption, as Apple already does with Major League Baseball’s Friday Night Baseball and will do with the upcoming 10-year exclusive deal to stream every single live Major League Soccer match beginning in 2023.
At the time, we posited that LIV Golf was probably very amenable to a sweetheart deal to land some real media presence which Apple (or Amazon) could’ve used to its advantage at the negotiating table.
Alas, both Apple and Amazon have reportedly passed on acquiring LIV Golf broadcast rights.
Andrew Beaton and Joe Flint for The Wall Street Journal:
LIV Golf has lured some of the world’s most famous golfers to its upstart golf league, but it is having a much more difficult time finding a major U.S. media partner to broadcast its tournaments.
Amazon.com and Apple have both passed on the media rights to LIV Golf, people familiar with the matter said, leaving the Saudi-backed circuit with a dwindling number of options.
The two tech giants were approached by LIV about potentially carrying its events on their streaming platforms, but neither expressed interest and talks never advanced to any serious negotiations, the people said.
LIV also hasn’t been able to strike a deal with networks including ESPN, CBS, NBC and Fox, people familiar with the matter said.
A LIV Golf executive said it was too early to characterize anyone as being firmly in the mix or out yet. LIV is beginning to enter the auction phase for its media rights, the executive said, in advance of the circuit’s first full season in 2023 when it plans to have a deal, with a significant rights fee, in place.
LIV has splurged on a number of high-profile personalities for its own productions. Longtime commentator David Feherty, who had done golf on NBC and CBS previously, is part of a broadcast team that includes play-by-play announcer Arlo White, who previously had called English Premier League games.
MacDailyNews Take: A U.S. deal for the broadcast rights to LIV Golf will come in 2023, with or without Apple.
For now, you can watch LIV events live, without commercial interruption, via YouTube here and also via the LIV Golf website: https://www.livgolf.com
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Sport washing, is not a good look for either Apple or Amazon
Nonsense.
LIV Golf is financed by Saudi Arabia’s Private Investment Fund.
There are at least 23 PGA Tour partners today that have ties to the multibillion-dollar Private Investment Fund in Saudi Arabia.
LIV is blood money. Pure and simple. Those of us who lost family, friends, and co-workers on 9/11 will never forget that.
Now, if it was China-backed, Timmy Boy couldn’t bend over fast enough.