NEW YORK - LIV Golf disputed a Golfweek report that it plans to secure coveted broadcast rights with FOX in an unusual airtime purchase agreement.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the new Saudi-backed circuit wrote, "LIV Golf has exceeded expectations and remains ahead of schedule across numerous fronts, including broadcast rights. As we have stated previously, LIV Golf is just beginning its process and is in active discussions with several companies about broadcasting the LIV Golf League.
"We caution that no one should draw any conclusions about potential media rights given that we are still in the middle of negotiations with several outlets."
To date, LIV's 54-hole events have been streamed on YouTube and on the new tour's website. Five events have been played this year and there are three more on the schedule, with a US$50 million (S$72.1 million) season finale in Miami in October.
Most sports broadcasting rights deals see the network pay for the rights to air events. For example, the Big Ten Conference secured a new rights deal with multiple networks that could potentially pay US$7 billion over seven years starting next summer.
The PGA Tour media rights deal, which includes international rights, is worth US$6.3 billion over nine years.
But per the Golfweek report, LIV would pay FOX as if it were an advertiser and also be responsible for production and ad sales during the events, chores that typically are owned by the network.
Because LIV is financially backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, criticism from fans and competing players has been constant.
More than 20 former PGA Tour players, including prominent names such as Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau and 2022 British Open winner Cam Smith of Australia, signed massive contracts to play on the LIV Golf Invitational Series.
Meanwhile, the PGA Tour fired back against LIV Golf in a court battle between the tournament organisers, claiming the upstart tour is competing unfairly by luring players with millions of dollars to defect from their contracts.
LIV has "reportedly" committed to paying US$100 million to US$200 million and offered exorbitant upfront fees to draw popular golfers to its tournaments, according to a countersuit the PGA Tour filed late Wednesday.
The PGA Tour was responding to an antitrust complaint filed almost two months ago by 11 golfers calling it an "entrenched monopolist."
"LIV's orchestrated efforts to induce tour members to breach their contracts and prevent them from entering into any future contract with the tour are part of a deliberate effort to harm the tour," the PGA Tour said.
Eight of the players who filed the original suit against the PGA Tour, including Mickelson, Hudson Swafford and Talor Gooch, have since backed out of the fight.
LIV, which initially wasn't involved, is now leading the case against the PGA Tour.
LIV and the remaining players' allegations are "baseless and entirely without legal merit," the PGA Tour said in Wednesday's filing.
It is LIV that is competing dishonestly, the PGA Tour said.
A LIV spokesperson didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. REUTERS, BLOOMBERG
