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The People V. LIV Golf
The PGA’s decision to partner with Saudi Arabia’s LIV Golf landed on Capitol Hill this week. Why this fight may be about much more than golf.
Recently, the decision by the U.S. Professional Golf Association (PGA) to partner with Saudi Arabia’s oft-decried upstart LIV Golf stunned the sports world and beyond.
Before the abrupt policy change, the PGA had been vociferously opposing LIV Golf, even castigating and suspending U.S. pro-golf players who chose to partner with the growing pro-golf concern.
The announcement was met with an outcry of great consternation. After weeks of simmering, this controversy boiled over yesterday during a congressional hearing on Capitol Hill.
“PGA Tour execs testify on LIV Golf deal, including Saudis’ expected financial investment,” wrote Tom Schad for USA TODAY this morning.
The upshot, of course, is money. The Saudi Royal Family’s fund for investing in such ventures is many times the valuation of the PGA. As lawmakers on Capitol Hill rightly noted, this isn’t likely the last time U.S. legislators, sports organizations, and fans will run into this problem.
As some noted during the hearing, there is nothing to stop such entities as the Saudi government from investing in any private U.S. sports enterprise they want.