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Greg Norman has defended LIV Golf’s television deal with the CW Network, insisting that the new golf league had “multiple” other offers on the table
After months of speculation, LIV finally announced yesterday that its events will be shown exclusively live on US TV by the CW Network as part of a multi-year deal.
Many critics have been quick to point out that the CW Network has no previous experience of broadcasting live sport, its portfolio of shows mostly comprised of teen dramas such as One Tree Hill, Gilmore Girls, Gossip Girl and Smallville.
However, in an appearance on Dan Abrams Live on News Nation, LIV CEO Norman came out fighting.
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“We’re probably the fastest [sports league] to get to ever get to a network deal in history,” said the former world No.1 “Our platform speaks for itself, our format speaks for itself
The marriage between CW and LIV – getting in front of 120 million households – speaks for itself. They see the value in us and we see the value in them.
“They weren’t the only [network to bid]. We had multiple other bidders at the table.”
Norman also used his appearance to defend LIV’s link to the Saudi Arabian government.
LIV
is entirely bankrolled by the regime’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which has drawn
repeated criticism from those who view the relationship as little more
than ‘sportswashing’.
Norman, however, disagrees.
“The PIF has invested a lot – with direct and indirect investments – into the United States,” he said. “They’ve gone into sports in other fields as well. They’ve invested into Newcastle [United] in England. They see the value of what sports can be.
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“The one thing that people overlook is that his is the first time golf has ever had an incredible amount of equity invested in it. Why? Why have we been invested in? Because we’re unlocking potential. What is that potential? The franchise model, the NFL model, the NBA model, the MLB model, the IPL model.
“All those things have never been done with golf. Golf has been stuck in a box for 53 years and just because we come along with a different format, and we have an investor for the first time putting equity in the game, the monopolist doesn’t like it, obviously.”
Norman, who again rejected calls from Tiger Woods for him to resign, also defended LIV’s business model and its ability to turn a profit.
“Time will tell on that one,” he said. “Our business model has been stress-tested by the best of the best of the best We’ve had hundreds if not thousands of individuals, over three years, stripping down this model and building this model out to where it is today.
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“We have a single source investor, which I think is fantastic. Does he want an ROI? 100% he wants an ROI, nothing wrong with that. That’s no different to the investing they do in Facebook, and Uber, and Boeing, and EA Sports. They’re investing for a reason.
“But the thing that a lot of people overlook her is the investment into the franchise model that LIV Golf delivers.”
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