www.cnbc.com
Perhaps the sanctimonious posters eating crow could let us know if they are using ketchup or syrup.
Ding ding! Winner. These guys come out WAY ahead financially. Rory isn’t hurting for money, but he now looks foolish.
I’m sure Rory will cry but he doesn’t own the tour nor does he have a seat the leadership( mgmt) table. But for some reason, He thinks he should.
I respect Rory. He was towing the line and carrying the water for the PGA execs. If anybody got played in this it was him.
I guess I'm one of the few who sincerely believe there is more to life than money. I think it is inaccurate to call someone who has retained their character and sense of loyalty "foolish".
Character and sense of loyalty are subjective things. Having an extra $100 million in the bank is not.
"Everyone has a price, the important thing is to figure out what it is" Pablo EscobarMariner not royalty cave but certainly major compromise
PGA Tour agrees to merge with Saudi-backed rival LIV Golf
The PGA Tour is merging with Saudi-backed rival LIV Golf, following months of tensions and mounting lawsuits between the competitors.
Reports on the Golf Channel are that LIV was running out of steam also. It is possible that both sides felt it necessary to join or slowly die while apart. Maybe the simple question was whether to spend all of the money on lawyers and be subject to disclosure requirements in litigation that would have been detrimental to all parties OR create a marriage of convenience and suffer the slings and arrows. When it comes down to money, marriages of convenience are as old as the hills.
Then they, and their handlers, are fools. The PGA response to losing star power was to require the remaining stars to play many tournaments, with the potential risk for injury and burnout. Rory skipping the Heritage at Hilton Head and incurrng a $3 million dollar fine was the tip of the iceberg. Those who remained were feeling more like indentured servants than professionals and cracks in the PGA model, designed to compensate for the loss of star power (DJ, Phil, Bryson, Cam, etc.), was going to tax the players too much. Combine that with the sponsors expressing concern for all weekly events not carrying the "designated" tag and it was becoming clear to the PGA that something had to give. Thus the tour sacrificed it's dignity and word by jumping into bed with the Saudis. While we can moralize all we want, the business decision may prove to be the only choice to be made.As opposed to a sack of **** I guess. Maybe the players that weren't whores do strike, but money drives those in charge of any sport. Crazy they didn't loop in the PGA players.....some real shady backroom crap there. Saudi's are looking to own any sport they can get their hands on currently or a piece of it.
‘Betrayed and humiliated’: PGA Tour players speak out amid LIV Golf merger
PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan announced a partnership with the Saudi Public Investment Fund, leaving players confused, betrayed and out of the loop.www.sbnation.com
“Tell me why Jay Monahan basically got a promotion to CEO of all golf in the world by going back on everything he said the past 2 years,” PGA Tour member Dylan Wu tweeted. “The hypocrisy. Wish golf worked like that. I guess money always wins @PGATour.”
No PGA Tour member, not even Tiger Woods or Rory McIlroy, had any idea of this developing situation.
All of which was done without consulting them and compare Monhan's comments 2 years ago to what happened yesterday. I'm not so sure it was the ONLY choice that could be made, but it was the one that was made. The players were blindsided and if you tried this in any other sport without the players buy in....you would have a huge issues on your hands more than likely.
Oh I agree Monahan has issues with the membership. But consider the potential uproar that would have ensued if 150 card carrying members of the Tour were told weeks ago about a possible deal. Given the political and financial sensibilities there would have been rancor to the point that the deal might have been imperiled. Monahan is no dummy. Neither is Jimmy Dunne, a PGA tour guy who reportedly helped broker the deal. They decided to cut the deal in secret. Think about the players' response. They can complain but what options do they have about where to continue playing. The calculus was fairly simple.
I'm waiting to see the merger specifics, but my sense is LIV came away the biggest winner here. As disruptor, they had fewer strategic options and would have likely run out of money sooner or later given their huge player acquisition costs. I think the DOJ whispers were also a ploy to force the PGA Tour to the negotiating table. We'll see where the money flows and what it means for the players.
So much for honor, integrity, and virtue in golf. The Saudis, those murdering rat b*stards, are being handed legitimacy for dollars. 9-11 my arse. Far to many Americans value money over honor. F^*k ‘em all.Mariner not royalty cave but certainly major compromise
PGA Tour agrees to merge with Saudi-backed rival LIV Golf
The PGA Tour is merging with Saudi-backed rival LIV Golf, following months of tensions and mounting lawsuits between the competitors.
Heard Rahm was close to signing as well and it spurred this deal, who knows, but glad it happened, want to see the best play all over.
