PGA and LIV agree to merge

mrhotdice

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Good thing for golf. Hope this open up the Scottish golf courses owned by Trump to hold The Open in the future.
 

Abominal Blueman

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The PGA loves that dirty Saudi money. Sadly, a lot of PGA-only fans just got a huge dose of reality and are honestly hypocrites if they follow golf at all anymore.
 

Catfan in Tn.

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Didn’t think this would happen. One thing I did notice is that Norman isn’t on the Board I don’t think.
 

Ron Mehico

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No clue how much Saudi Arabia paid but them are essentially buying substantial ownership of the PGA and European tour will probably be a good investment long term, like when they bought all of Chicagos parking meters.
 

CAT Scratch FVR

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Lot of questions.

Do players keep their money?
Integrating LIV tournaments, does that water down other PGA tournaments or eliminate them? Top players won't play 25 tournaments.
How is it determined who plays where?
How do you keep tour privileges?
 
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UK_Dallas

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Letter the players received:




 

cole854

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PGAT still will have their set of rules players will adhere to in order to be a member of the organization. This is not one umbrella and you do not get to pick where you play at the drop of a hat.
 

Catfan in Tn.

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Don’t see Norman’s name on anything that was agreed upon going forward. They just freeze him out?
 

rick64

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Someone please send a defibrillator to Brandel Chamblee. 😉
 
Oct 16, 2002
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I don't see this as huge of a loss for the guys who defended the PGAT as some say. If you didn't want the Saudi's money, you still don't, and you can put your head on your pillow at night and rest well.
 

Ron Mehico

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At the end of the day it looks like Brooks Koepka really won out, and I think we can all rejoice in that.
 

roguemocha

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The whole talking Saudi money is so funny. YOU personally are paying for it. How do you think the Saudis get their money? Your every day driving it’s basically a slush fund for them which is fine, just don’t bring up Saudi “blood” money.
 
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Ron Mehico

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The whole talking Saudi money is so funny. YOU personally are paying for it. How do you think the Saudis get their money? Your every day driving it’s basically a slush fund for them which is fine, just don’t bring up Saudi “blood” money.


Americans drive multitudes more than any other country - and our car culture is very deeply ingrained, not to mention we literally invented cars and airplanes. The US is responsible for 99% of Saudi Arabia’s wealth.
 

roguemocha

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A lot resonates from building the highways and not trains. We should have trains everywhere in this size country but I digress.
 

roguemocha

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True, but what 'choice' do we have?
No you don’t, but this is also the government we’ve “voted” for a million years running so you can’t say not my fault.

I’m good with it, I don’t lose sleep over things I can’t change.

I did buy an EV to enrich some Africans and enslave others though to stop giving the Saudis money.
 
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JBHolmesfan

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Chill JB, you should’ve taken the money.
Monahan went on national TV and said the guys going to LIV were betraying their country by taking Saudi money and now he does it himself. All the while not telling the people he was begging to stay loyal to him. Doesn’t matter your take on LIV, Monahan looks like a fool here.
 

JBHolmesfan

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Fool? Or dumb like a fox?
I’d say a fool. He begged guys like Rory, JT, Spieth, etc. to turn down the money to stay with the PGA Tour. They did so. Then he turns around and takes the money. I’d imagine a lot of players are upset.
 

KYExtemper

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Just a disgusting deal by the PGA TOUR that sullies me on ever watching another minute of their programming (and I've been a big fan since 1995). Jay Monahan threw all the players under the bus so he could take the same dirty money he railed against.

It's just a matter of time before the Saudis come after other professional sports in America.
 

KYExtemper

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Jay Monahan needs to be fired. What a hypocrite and not even consulting the players on this can’t be a popular thing around the Tour.
Lots of interesting things come out of this:

#1: I see no scenario where Monahan is not fired/dismissed in the next three months over this. Players are reportedly irate over this, especially since the PGA is supposed to be a players organization. If you are a player who rejected LIV's overtures and turned down tens of millions, you are not a happy camper this morning. I think of Tiger turning down close to $1 billion on this LIV project (not that Tiger needs more money).

#2: I wonder how sponsors react to this. It was well known that the Saudis were thinking of buying WWE a few months back and signals were sent via television providers in the U.S. and sponsors that such a move would not be welcomed. Sponsors matter a great deal in the golf world so I wonder if any of them get skittish about endorsing a Saudi financed projected that was taken over U.S. golf.

#3: Are there any efforts by some prominent forces in the golf world like Jack, Tiger, Rory, etc. to create a breakaway league of their own? This is a far fetched scenario because of the undertaking that it would have but if the players are angry enough at this then it could have some really crazy effect.
 
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JBHolmesfan

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Lots of interesting things come out of this:

#1: I see no scenario where Monahan is not fired/dismissed in the next three months over this. Players are reportedly irate over this, especially since the PGA is supposed to be a players organization. If you are a player who rejected LIV's overtures and turned down tens of millions, you are not a happy camper this morning. I think of Tiger turning down close to $1 billion on this LIV project (not that Tiger needs more money).

#2: I wonder how sponsors react to this. It was well known that the Saudis were thinking of buying WWE a few months back and signals were sent via television providers in the U.S. and sponsors that such a move would not be welcomed. Sponsors matter a great deal in the golf world so I wonder if any of them get skittish about endorsing a Saudi financed projected that was taken over U.S. golf.

#3: Are there any efforts by some prominent forces in the golf world like Jack, Tiger, Rory, etc. to create a breakaway league of their own? This is a far fetched scenario because of the undertaking that it would have but if the players are angry enough at this then it could have some really crazy effect.
I think it’s likely Monaghan is out eventually. I don’t know how he can look the players in the face after this. All of those guys that made the tough decision and stuck their necks out for him just got blindsided and betrayed.

The sponsors will be an interesting thing to watch. I don’t think Jack or Tiger create a new league. Jack already basically said he’s ok with what happened. Interested to see what Tiger, Rory and JT say, but I imagine they’re going to toe the company line.
 

LowerLevelSeatA

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In first lines of the letter, it mentions PGA tour is tax exempt. I never knew this about pro sports. After a quick google, looks like many pro sports like nfl are tax exempt. So they have avoided paying billions in taxes over the years. Are these pro sports leagues included when people say the “rich, tax cheating corporations that make too much money need to start paying their fair share “? I figure this thread already went to politics so I added to the political conversation.

2013 article:
 

UKReedY

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I thought this was at least a couple years down the line. But we all knew it was gonna happen.
 

WildcatFan1982

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In first lines of the letter, it mentions PGA tour is tax exempt. I never knew this about pro sports. After a quick google, looks like many pro sports like nfl are tax exempt. So they have avoided paying billions in taxes over the years. Are these pro sports leagues included when people say the “rich, tax cheating corporations that make too much money need to start paying their fair share “? I figure this thread already went to politics so I added to the political conversation.

2013 article:

I think the NFL dropped their tax exempt status.
 

Ron Mehico

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Man reading these articles I didn’t realize the vast majority and basically only investor is Saudi Arabia, it basically just bought professional golf. Wild.