FOX Sports has announced a multiyear media rights agreement with LIV Golf, providing coverage of the competition to viewers in the United States starting this February. As the league prepares to enter its third season, over half of its 14 events will be airing on either FOX or FS1, while select rounds will also be on FS2, FOX Business and the FOX Sports app. This equates to approximately half of the 210 hours of competition within LIV Golf. Details surrounding the exact television arrangement for competitions within LIV Golf will be revealed at a later date.
The CW has been the U.S. television media rightsholder for LIV Golf over the past two seasons, but the league stopped reporting viewership data after struggling with ratings. Prior to this agreement, LIV Golf had been broadcast on YouTube in the United States. Under this new deal, all coverage of the golf tour will be streamed on the FOX Sports app and LIV Golf+. Whereas The CW reportedly had an advertising revenue sharing agreement, FOX Sports is said to be paying the entity a media rights fee.
“We are thrilled to partner with FOX Sports, one of the preeminent broadcast networks in the world,” Scott O’Neil, chief executive officer of LIV Golf, said in a statement. “LIV Golf is getting bigger and bolder, and this relationship signals the next phase of growth as our League joins the company of the nation’s premier sports leagues and conferences.
“I want to thank the FOX Sports team who share our vision for the future of golf, a new model that is redefining how the sport is experienced. LIV Golf is drawing a younger, more active and tech-savvy fan base, and as our players and teams prepare for LIV Golf’s biggest season yet, this agreement will take our broadcast to new heights.”
LIV Golf broadcasts will be produced by the in-house team that will maintain elements viewers have come to expect, including the live leaderboard, statistics-driven graphics and a faster pace. The on-air announcing team for the league will return with play-by-play voice Arlo White, analysts David Feherty and Jerry Foltz and on-course reporters Dom Boulet and Su-Ann Heng. Pre- and post-round shows will be hosted by Christian Crosboy and contain contributions from the aforementioned analysts and on-course reporters, along with former professional golfer Rachel Drummond. Tournaments within LIV Golf are composed of 54 holes that are played over three rounds with shotgun starts, which has teams commence play at the same time on different holes.
“FOX Sports is excited to broadcast the LIV Golf League, showcasing athletes at the top of their game competing at an elite level for viewers across the nation,” Jordan Bazant, executive vice president of FOX Sports, said in a statement. “The addition of LIV Golf is a natural fit for FOX Sports’ prominent slate of big events, world-class names and premium sports coverage.”
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