LIV Golf reaches broadcast rights deal with CW Network

LIV Golf reached a multi-year woody to marque CW Network the exclusive U.S. broadcast spouse of the Saudi-funded nonrecreational play circuit that launched past twelvemonth with dozens of golfers, including Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson.

The CW volition aerial the 14 planetary events of the 2023 LIV Golf League season, starting with a Mexico tourney from Feb. 24 to Feb. 26.

Saturday and Sunday tournaments volition aerial unrecorded connected the CW and the CW App, and Friday LIV events volition beryllium disposable connected the CW app, the web said successful a press release.

Nexstar Media Group owns 75% of the CW, which is known for airing shows chiefly attracting younger audiences, and did not disclose the fiscal presumption of the agreement.

CW Network President Dennis Miller successful a property merchandise said the concern "marks a important milestone successful our extremity to re-engineer the network." He added this was the archetypal clip successful the company's past that it was the exclusive broadcast location for unrecorded mainstream sports.

The Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, which is controlled by the Saudi crown prince, has committed astatine slightest $2 billion to the play circuit and besides backs LIV's large tourney sponsor, real-estate developer ROSHN.

Until now, LIV has yet to aerial its matches connected a large U.S. web aft Apple and Amazon passed connected sum deals. LIV events person been escaped for viewers online, including Alphabet's YouTube.

"The CW volition supply accessibility for our fans and maximum vulnerability for our athletes and partners arsenic their scope includes much than 120 cardinal households crossed the United States," said LIV Golf Chief Executive and Commissioner Greg Norman in a property release.

The league has struggled to propulsion successful sponsors for its tournaments and critics person accused the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund of "sportswashing" to amended Saudi Arabia's image. LIV's large tourney sponsor, real-estate developer ROSHN, is besides backed by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund.

As its sanction suggests, LIV Golf tournaments diagnostic 54 holes alternatively of the much communal 72. There are besides 12 teams, caps of 48 players and shotgun starts.

In October, the PGA Tour filed a lawsuit against LIV's Saudi backers successful an effort to unit grounds discovery, a continuation of antitrust claims betwixt the rivals.

LIV sued the PGA Tour a period anterior alleging anti-competitive practices and monopolistic behavior. In response, the tour countersued LIV Golf of interfering with its deals. Tiger Woods reportedly rejected an $800 cardinal offer to articulation the league.

The PGA Tour antecedently suspended 17 players for playing successful the inaugural LIV Golf tourney successful June, which LIV called an "effort to stifle competition." LIV CEO Norman visited Capitol Hill successful September to conscionable with members of Congress.