Report: LIV could give away UK TV rights for FREE

LIV Golf bosses could offer live TV rights to UK broadcasters for FREE.  

That’s according to the latest report about the Saudi-funded enterprise as it prepares to start its second season next month.

The Daily Mail is claiming that the new tour failed to secure an agreement for 2023 following a round of negotiations last month with broadcasters including Sky Sports, BT Sport and DAZN.

Sky Sports is the exclusive live broadcaster of PGA Tour events in the UK and Ireland. Last June, it extended its deal with the circuit, which includes airing a minimum of 36 events per year.

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BT Sport, meantime, is understood to be more closely aligned with Warner Bros, another major PGA Tour partner.

With Amazon and Disney also reported to have passed, the Daily Mail claims that the Greg Norman-fronted body is now open to the prospect of giving away the rights free of charge.

If true, this is undoubtedly another major blow to LIV, which saw its chief operating officer Atul Khosla depart shortly before Christmas.

Whilst the tour has a number of TV deals in place in countries around the world – for example, ServusTV in Germany and Austria, Eleven Sports in Italy, Claro Sports in Latin America, and CHCH-TV in parts of Canada – finally cracking the UK and, particularly, American TV markets have been a huge priority heading into year two.

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Speaking in the latest edition of bunkered (issue 198, on-sale now), a LIV insider said: “Our product has been extremely well received so far. It looks and feels different and is undeniably additive to the the game of golf as a whole.

“Clearly, getting on TV in the US is extremely important, partly because of the revenue opportunities but also because it lends credibility and shows a level of acceptance. I’m confident we’ll get there.”

The opening event of the 2023 LIV Golf League takes place in Mexico from February 24-26.