After finding itself without Apple and Amazon as potential media rights partners in the United States, the LIV Golf may have a more traditional television suitor on-deck.
FOX is the leading candidate to grab the media rights for the controversial tour, sources told Front Office Sports.
Will Staeger, chief media officer for the Saudi-backed golf league, declined to comment on specific companies but did say, “we want exposure. We want broad viewership,” Staeger said. “We want to be on a platform where viewers are accustomed to watching sports.”
FOX would be an interesting fit considering their previous ventures with the sport (selling their last seven years of USGA rights to NBC) and that the network fired LIV CEO and Commissioner Greg Norman in 2016. Norman did mention on Kap and J. Hood that the Tour had multiple networks interested in broadcasting their events.
It will not find a major broadcast partner. It will be on something like FUBO sports network Stadium or BeIn sports, with maybe an OTT partner like Flo sports or DAZN. NO major outlet will pick it up. FOX would be the only one that might but, it will be very limited because of MLB,NASCAR,NCAA Football and NFL coverage. They will need a dedicated partner like the PGA has with GOLF as well as 2 or 3 other outlets to maximize exposer and provide rights fees. Apple, and Amazon have said they are out so are NBC(Peacock and Golf) CBS(CBSSN, and Parmount+) and Any Disney properties. Also Warner Brothers Discovery is out.