Fox Sports plotting LIV Golf deal

Fox Sports is planning a deal to show LIV Golf events, according to reports in the US.

The station – which fired LIV CEO Greg Norman as its lead analyst six years ago – is understood to be the front-runner for the Saudi-backed league’s media rights.

According to Front Office Sports, a deal could be close.

Will Staeger, LIV’s chief media officer, told FOS the tour is in discussions with “virtually every major media company”.

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“We want exposure. We want broad viewership,” he added.

“We want to be on a platform where viewers are accustomed to watching sports.”

LIV has thus far been unable to secure a broadcast package, and has shown each of its events so far free of charge on its YouTube channel.

Fox, meanwhile, is free of ties to golf’s status quo, having sold the remaining seven years of its deal with the USGA to NBC two years ago. CBS and ESPN also have existing commitments to the PGA Tour which would make any bid for LIV’s rights unlikely.

Despite his sacking, Norman remains close to Fox owner Rupert Murdoch, and has previously expressed his desire for the broadcaster to return to the sport.

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“Golf needs it, actually,” he said.

“Quite honestly, listening to golf on TV gets rather boring. Because everybody says the same thing every time about everybody.”

And on Thursday, Bryson DeChambeau – one of several big-name LIV signings – said a TV deal was “coming”.