"The Saudis Bought The PGA Tour" - Dan Patrick Discusses The PGA-LIV Merger | 06/07/23

[@NotThatWilliamWallace]

Monahan is now squarely inside the old joke ... "we've already established what kind of person you are ... now we're just haggling over price."

[@pjpredhomme7699]

If you ever doubted that this would be the end point - you completely mischaracterized these people - they were always going for the cash - it was just a matter of what the offer was .

[@johnclark5609]

The joke used the word prostitute. Now that we know you are, how much do you charge?

[@jamesingwersen4240]

Lol

[@timothyhayes2935]

All frauds,all greed.Jay Monahan is a corrupt asshole. He must go right now.Unfortunately he will get outrageous golden parachute.

[@rodneypratt4324]

That's a great line I think that was Churchill?

[@Chad-wu4ij]

Phil nailed it. Literally called out Monohan and the PGA for its greed. He was ahead of the curve. Monohan should've listened to Phil years ago.

[@gilescaver8841]

Who’d have thought that the commissioner of the boring old PGA would one day become the most loathed executive in sport? 😂

[@Raydington]

Do you like golf?

[@gilescaver8841]

@@Raydington Yes, thanks, but I like playing it far more than watching it.

[@wreckim]

I think the Ryder Cup is next. All that money, who is it going to? Now players are going to DEMAND their share IMO. Why play for free? For honor? What honor.

[@winstonsmith11]

​@wreckim If you question the players' feelings on why they play in the Ryder Cup, then you know nothing about the event.

[@chuckycheese84]

and we all thought that Gary Bettman was a awful commissioner. He looks real good right now and I don't even like him at all

[@jackson8374]

I’ve Seen a lot of takes on this. I think Dan really got it right.

[@markmaioli4]

Pat the new information that Monahan got from the Saudis was a Swiss account with a 9 figure number added to it

[@leonardrhode7016]

Oh definitely he got ALOT from this no way in hell he did not.I honestly hope things works out better than we think but at the moment honestly I am very disappointed this surely wasn't the only way to have resolved all of these issues.But seems like it's done now we will see what happens next.

[@cynt1111]

We all know it

[@thegamingpigeon3216]

I'm not a golf fan. Never really was. But the past 4-5 years as a younger person, I have very slowly but surely been getting into it. Once I understood the game itself and how it's played, I loved the sport. *The sport*. Not the PGA and certainly not LIV. This deal put a stop to any golf I'll watch on TV in the future. And the about face that Jay Monahan has pulled? After using the families and suffering of one of the greatest tragedies in this countries history as an attack on LIV, only to turn around and kick dirt in those families faces? That man will have a lot to answer for. They say everyone has a price and that is certainly clear today.

[@industrialpalletworx3548]

Watch the majors. They're the most entertaining to watch anyway.

[@s.r.345]

Couldn't agree more my good man

[@bernardsimsic9334]

same here that comissioner needs to go and this BS got to go

[@rah7868]

So don't watch.

[@keithchristopherson2996]

Best view I have heard so far. Honest talk finally.

[@patricktracy1966]

What did they get for their loyalty? They get to keep their dignity and self respect. Sometimes that's all you get for sticking to your beliefs.

[@KCkoolaidking]

They only keep their dignity and self respect if they quit the game of golf now. Because if they dont they are taking “blood money” that they all were so against. Their loyalty was just them being peer pressured and shamed in to staying with the pga. Thats why they will remain and play golf for the saudis now, because everyone else is doing it, so that makes it ok now to take the “blood money”

[@Kevinpaddles]

Dignity and Self Respect for about a year.

[@georgehadley7863]

it's a disgraceful move by the PGA. Jay Monahan should either resign or be sacked. Have a listen to his comments about Saudi involvement over the last 2 years. He's done a complete 180 degree turnaround.

[@BuckMulligan72]

He didn't have a choice. The PIF would have destroyed the Tour via endless litigation. At least this was the Tour continues to exist and its players will continue to make money. It was a hostile takeover of the Tour by Saudi Arabia.

[@chrism5126]

He always had a choice

[@BuckMulligan72]

@@chrism5126 What's the other choice? Bankrupt the Tour via legal fees defending lawsuits? Allow the Tour's shady non-profit dealings to be made public via discovery. What's the other choice?

[@chrism5126]

@@BuckMulligan72 He had a choice to not join them, the same as he had a choice before. The cards will how they fall, but he has a choice.

[@BuckMulligan72]

@@chrism5126 Not joining with PIF means that those scenarios I just laid out would happen, and the PGA Tour and it's players would be screwed. That's what you think is a better choice. We might not like it, but Saudi Arabia just bullied and bought the PGA Tour. Monahan took the less bad of two bad choices in the best interest of the players.

[@BuckMulligan72]

They took until 12:40 to get to the point. It was a takeover. The Saudi PIF has around $600 billion dollars to throw around. The PGA Tour makes something like $50-100 million net income yearly. PGA Tour has something like $1 billion net assets all together. Monahan hinted at it, but it was simply a takeover. $600 billion vs $1 billion. Monahan didn't really have a choice. He has to sit there and play nice and say nice things about the new league (they're letting him be the CEO after all (for now)), but Yasir is the chairman of the board of the for-profit wing. The board tells the CEO what to do. Saudi Arabia bullied and bought the PGA Tour.

[@washredskin887]

He had no choice. Mounting legal fees, asking sponsors to pay more money w/out Brooks, Phil, DJ or Bryson. Monahan rolled over like a dead turkey.

[@BuckMulligan72]

@@washredskin887 He didn't roll over though. He really did do what was in the best interest of the Tour and it's player both before the deal and in accepting it. Either LIV/PIF would destroy the Tour with endless lawsuits and whatever shady past dealings by the PGA come out in discovery from that, or sell to the PIF and allow at least the PGA and it's players continue to have a good golf career making lots of money. This will be more a legacy of Phil/DJ/Reed/Koepka more than Monahan. LIV doesn't exist without them, that's why PIF gave them obscene money just to show up. That incentive to hand over giant bags of cash is gone now. Hopefully, it goes well for all, but they (Phil, etc.) are the ones who sold out the Tour to Saudi Arabia.

[@jamesingwersen4240]

And disgusting

[@fordfrick4128]

If you have a job like Monahan it is assumed that you are a leader and a visionary. I for one KNEW this was inevitable and Trump is on record predicting this EXACT outcome. Yes, this seems like a good move for golf long term but I just don’t see how Jay was not able to see this earlier just like Trump or us fans. Jay knew the intimate financial details but took a stance that he thought he could win but as it turns out he was dead wrong. While he likely negotiated a great financial deal for himself, his association with the PGA Tour and or the new entity should end swiftly.

[@BuckMulligan72]

@@fordfrick4128 He was fighting against the $600 billion PIF. He was very aware that his only chance of winning was to have no significant PGA Tour players jumping ship over to LIV. Once Phil, DJ, Bryson, Bubba, Reed, and others left, it was all over. Jay was not clueless, and that's why he banned them. It was his only tool when faced with mounting, endless lawsuits and a $600 billion fund fighting aginst him. It was serious shit. The LIV players are the real traitors. Not sure what else you think Jay should have done. He absolutely knew the facts. He's a smart guy. Of course publicly you fight it and act like you can win until you can't. He did that and hoped his players wouldn't jump ship, but they did and screwed the whole thing. What else do you think he should have done?

[@dohczeppelin37]

If they offered Tiger Woods $800 million then you know they are giving Monahan at least a billion in exchange for his soul.

[@1234VVA]

90% of their sponsors have Saudi money injected into them lol who cares take the money

[@Raydington]

The list of American companies that does business with Saudi Arabia is to long to write.

[@roycedot]

@@Raydington your comment lost any validity when you misspelled 'too'

[@Raydington]

@@roycedot KZbin is not an ivory tower, I hate it when people grade grammar on social media.

[@michaelwainscott2633]

@@roycedot Again, discredit a comment that is true merely because of a typo? Pretty pathetic POS. Thousands of US companies either directly or indirectly have been doing business with the Saudis for decades including the US government. Where was the outcry then? It was an old PR move the PGA time and time again used to discredit and disparage the LIV tour and its players when, at the same time, the PGA was also getting money from the Saudis and China, who also has a horrible human rights record. This has always been about money, power and control and the PGA sold out on those terms.

[@August_Ice]

Perfect commentary, thanks 👍 DP

[@FalseNi9e]

PGA didn't want their financial info to come out in the courts, nothing more

[@mistercantrell]

Bingo!! They want those tax documents to stay under wraps.

[@pjpredhomme7699]

is Qanon closed today ? so I suppose the head of saudi aramco had no problem being deposed also ? you people are an absolute joke - go back to shooting 130 - your better at that

[@roycedot]

also a lot of money from the Saudis for all involved...

[@franz289]

That’s right!!! I did not see that angle. There’s a lot of dirty money circulating at the top and no one wants to open that can of worms.

[@iananddani]

That and the fact they they actually acted as a monopoly and would for sure lose the anti trust lawsuits

[@Crusader7077]

In light of the PGA Tour being non-profit, I'm curious if that makes it possible for information to become public as to how much Jay Monahan got out of this deal financially.

[@leonardrhode7016]

Short answer ALOT,long answer is we will eventually learn the truth.

[@Nighthawk-8050]

I got a feeling congress is gonna step in

[@pjpredhomme7699]

@@Nighthawk-8050 DOJ was doing interviews - regarding claims of anti-trust .

[@bobzelley5100]

The non for profit for an organization owned by the largest company in the world , Aramco, will have the IRS lawyers busy

[@mangos2888]

Never had I ever thought the PGA was a non-profit. When you watch their tournaments all you see is money-money-money.

[@BlakePSmith-kc2jy]

I will believe in all this when they take a majority of this money and distribute it to all the golf courses around the world to help with maintenance costs so that an average golfer can get out there and play for $20-$30 with a cart instead of $80-$200 a round

[@leonardrhode7016]

If they used the money to really develop the game around the world by like you said making it more accessible yes and help up and coming professional players and amateurs by financially assistaning them so they can compete.There is very likely alot of good golfers who just can't afford all the costs to play for a living.But I doubt the money will go towards any substantial developments.

[@jefffreese947]

Can't tell if my sarcasm detector is broken?

[@TheRichb688]

these people in charge of this fund attacked America and Europeans and behead woman-not really worried about a golf fee

[@mikesumo2150]

Love that idea

[@Raydington]

Yep, my group play an $80-100 dollar course once a year. The rest of the season we play the $40-$50 courses

[@kevinmcguire1049]

Pat, that is the best summary I have heard on this subject. PGA Tour is a players led organization -after yesterday that is certainly not true. This is Saudi’s buying men’s professional golf worldwide with the mention of women’s golf next. Monaghan used everything including 9/11 families to defend the PGA Tour 12 months ago and 6/6/23 that no longer matters. One of the major changes in business over the last twenty years is organizations recognising they have other responsibilities, to employees, communities and society at large. This deal is exactly the opposite, and I wonder how the broader golfing community, spectators and sponsors will feel about being inseparably linked to a government with human rights abuses that not only happened in the past, but is the way they run their country today and in the future. Golf’s values are very different from that, and to proceed down this route is a stain on the PGA TOUR and other parties associated with this potential deal.

[@cliffpeebles9705]

I can't think of a bigger sports story in 2023. Golf just stepped on its own tail and gave itself a black eye in one motion.

[@carterpage4575]

Most people don't care. The online moral outrage for lots of stuff has just worn thin. The people who engage in it never get offered 100000 to do anything let alone 100 million.

[@devinmills7757]

Black eye, America is no different than Saudi, you just bought the lie. It's never not been about money. Grow up, child

[@cliffpeebles9705]

​@@carterpage4575 Perhaps you're right Carter, but as someone who has never watched golf, I find the story fascinating. We will see in a few days if the story gains traction. I have been wrong before. By the way, are you Carter Page the golfer?

[@johndidier7849]

@@cliffpeebles9705 They have eggplatter faces now for sure. The prize $$$ for these pitch 'n putters was obscene before the blood money's corruption. Bryson Cham boo boo must have figured a way to take half His worldly goods with Him🚧🚧🚧🚧

[@WheelerRickRambles]

Story line is 100+ million US citizens been dealing with companies doing business with the Saudis… for yrs! But, never protested/banned/cancel cultured those. How about Coke, ATT, almost every bank to mention a couple. Why do they get a pass? That’s the hypocrisy story line!

[@roncelaya4115]

Dan has hit the nail on the head. Super sad day for golf

[@tatumtwo7137]

Saudi money took down the WTC.... never forget? PGA forgets ......and hopefully the American people will take a pass on this bullshit 3000 dead .....on the PGA's head now...... they have become responsible for the killing of 3000 Americans. team up with t devil ....... means...... you are the devil

[@ChuckSchickx]

I need to know one number. That number being Monahans payout. Just how much did he get? That's the number I need to know

[@herbtapp3031]

The golden parachute if he gets fired guarantee, it is enough $$$ where he never needs to work again.

[@blanca3543]

Speaking as an outsider to the sport, but one who has had a good deal of respect for many of the players and the PGA in general, this is shocking. It seems that money is the motivator, but again, I'm an outsider so won't understand any nuances (should there be any). But for me, that's not what is shocking. The willingness to shake hands and do business with the SA royals and their entourage--responsible for so much turmoil in the world today and in recent decades--seems contrary to values the PGA purports to uphold. The dissonance is unbelievable, and for me unpalatable. If this deal goes through, casual fans like myself will assume it has all been a sham. As for golf, I'll remember fondly walking the old course at St. Andrew's; the PGA I will quietly put in a file marked, "Good while it lasted."

[@lrn_news9171]

This narrative about "blood money" was just moral outrage and virtue signalling in the first place. They had events in China and other dictatorships, no one cares. It's a game, some govt is investing in a game, it's oil money, from our gas pumps, who cares

[@fordfrick4128]

So tired of the “Saudis are bad” nonsense. This is the reality of global economy and GEO politics. There are over twenty major US corporations that gladly do business with them and our own government does financial business with them. Stop putting this on golfers to do the right thing. Every commentator that blasted the guys that went to LIV better tell ALL the PGA guys to find a new career since now ALL their paychecks will be from Saudis.

[@SaintKimbo]

@@fordfrick4128 It was revealed that the PGA Tour sought advice from a Consultancy/Marketing Firm, to battle with LIV, and it was them that came up with the 'Saudi's are bad' campaign and got the 9/11 victims involved. So, it was all just a marketing campaign, Monahan just played it out, like an Actor, there was never any sincerity in it, it was effective because a lot of people bought it, hook line and sinker.

[@JimmySimmons-ci9qp]

What gives Jay the right to make this transaction? He doesn't own the PGA. He got at least $400 million for the sell-out. Jay overused his authority. It doesn't sound like a legal transaction.

[@richschuster1097]

The hypocrisy is disturbing. And to have a sport where a commissioner can unilaterally make such a game-changing decision tells me it’s time for players to take a larger role in oversight. How long until the Saudis own the NFL or MLB? It’s disgusting.

[@industrialpalletworx3548]

If the Saudis deem this a victory and works out to their benefit. You can bet the farm they will try to buy any of the other major sports leagues. Imagine if they buy the USFL and use that to create an umbrella organization to "oversee" the NFL and USFL.

[@kyucklebeans]

Saudis have a lot of money because they don’t give af about the global warming scam. Do you have any idea how rich we’d be if we were actually allowed to drill our own oil?

[@washredskin887]

NFL? Never in a million years. They would have to buy a team that is for sale and it would have to be approved by 31 owners. Never in a million years would that happen.

[@easyL844]

UFC and boxing are the ones that need to be worried

[@patrickmoylan5983]

Crickets . China owns the NBA and Nike yet nobody says a word about fact that China wants to destroy the United States .

[@ancil57]

The families of the 9/11 victims and Jamal Khashoggi once again have something to grieve.

[@robertapolloni83]

as do the families of the innocent victims killed by american drones in other countries, seeing the people who killed them trying to act like they have some kind of moral highground on the rest of the planet

[@JJG86]

There is no proof that the Saudi government was involved in any way with the 911 attacks. If you have it, supply it or shut up.

[@Raydington]

Sept 11, 1991 George Bush sr gave his New World order speech. Eleven years later to the day Sept 11, 2001 the Towers fall. Who was President? George Bush jr. The Saudi Crown both the King and the Prince are personal friends of the Bush family.

[@seanjones2456]

This feels like something that would happen on HBO's SUCCESSION!

[@pjpredhomme7699]

Actually what happened here surpassed anything on succesion - both in terms of underhandedness -and the scale

[@Evebr]

The PGA doesn't have the backbone to say "We back-stabbed our players & sold out."

[@theophilusconnor]

They're basically forcing the players to accept Saudi blood money, or retire from the PGA and DP Tours. Few to none will retire, but I hope some do. Ideally some rich and principled westerners start a new pro golf tour, fund new tournaments, secure new TV contracts, and most players leave the PGA and join it. The drawback is it won't have the storied history and legacy the PGA Tour has. Monahan has sold out the PGA Tour for money. How disgusting.

[@TheRichb688]

that back stabbed America and 9/11

[@chriskelly6559]

LIV was NOT a threat, PGA got bought. Sucks.

[@JJG86]

LIV was a threat, PGA made a wise choice, great news.

[@mani-rc2tv]

Lmao so Brooks winning the PGA championship didn’t happen? LIV players doing so well at the PGA wasn’t real? The majors allowing LIV wasn’t a problem? LIV continually buying out top players wasn’t a problem? Anti-trust suits against the PGA wasn’t a problem? They would’ve lost in court and that’s why they buckled

[@pjpredhomme7699]

LIV honestly is a folly - a joke - but it served its purpose - it weakened the PGA tour - they had no ability to counter the least amount of competition . Every move this commissioner made was basically wrong - culminating in him seeing the writing on the wall - they were losing money rapidly - sponsors were rapidly becoming disatisfied and leaving . Ultimately they were never going to be able to compete with $ trillion that the Saudis seemed perfectly willing to spend to reach their objective - which was to buy professional golf - and most importantly - the US C - suite that likes to cozy up to it.

[@pjpredhomme7699]

@@mani-rc2tv anyone who believes that is completely deluded - that is the intelligence of a 7 yr old. This is about money - winning tournaments - is completely irrelevant to this . This is about the business of operating a sport - when you do that - you know someone is going to win - who it is - has nothing to do with it . really you incels are absurd

[@iananddani]

Liv absolutely was and is a success. They had to have taken a large chunk of viewership. I jumped immediately.

[@byrnez2755]

Two quotes from Rory this morning - (1)"Good for the game of professional golf". (2)"Good for it's financial future." I really respect Rory but he doesn't appear to have come-to-terms with what's ACTUALLY happening. The key take-away from this "merger" is that the PGA Tour has clearly shown that principles can be bought. Golf has become as American as apple pie over the years. It flaunts the American flag, principles and traditions at every turn (e.g. Ryder Cup, The Presidents Cup, etc.). So to announce this merger with the US Open and Ryder Cup coming very soon... it makes this even more grotesque. This was a business/$$$ decision and shows that even though the PGA tour initially preached this fight started because of the immoral Saudi regime and its blood-money... I think it's safe to say now the PGA tour PREACHED THAT but were ACTUALLY fighting for the market/$$$ share it was potentially losing to LIV. Rory can try and swallow this jagged pill as much as he wants to... but now Saudi blood money has infiltrated the PGA tour and that is like a cancer to everything it touches. For Rory to say there is a difference between LIV and the Saudi fund money... he needs to understand its a distinction without a difference. PGA will now have an injection of Saudi blood money. Plus the Saudis will have a seat on the board. I've been an avid PGA fan for over 40 years. On the heels of this "merger".. I'm done with it. Another sport ruined. I like Rory but he is gonna have some hard realizations to face as this proceeds. This cancer won't get better Rory, it will just get worse. To those people who say there's Saudi money in everything, so why treat golf any different, that is a lazy defense. If I KNEW the Saudis were directly benefiting from the gas at my pump or the hotel I booked for my vacation.. they I will make the necessary change. But You rarely if ever KNOW that. In this case we KNOW it's Saudi blood money and its avoidable. So when you KNOW that rather than loosely suspect it... there in-lies THE difference.

[@jasonnstegall]

America was betrayed. Don't be surprised if somehow, someway Vladimir Putin has a finger in this pie...or even Donald Trump.

[@pjpredhomme7699]

I respect your passion - but if you honestly thought this was ever about principles - you have a lot to learn about how the world works. Sorry I do not mean to be flippant but that kind of money these guys were never going to say no . and I hate to burst your bubble but these guys are whores - it was never a matter of if - it was only ever - at what price

[@wilsonking1617]

With the Saudis in charge now “making the cut” and “missing the cut” take on a whole new meaning

[@carrite]

You don't wanna know what's gonna happen to those under the cut line.

[@charleyu5506]

americucks really forgetting all the terrorist attacks their country has been involved in, the 300 year genocide on native americans etc

[@daverogers5609]

Great analysis Dan. Thanks.

[@andrewlevy8134]

This is an article by Tom Anderson in April 2022 ( Look more closely at the PGA tour) "PGA Tour China is one of several developmental circuits sponsored by The PGA. The PGA Tour appears unfazed by China’s appalling human rights record, which currently includes accusations of brutal persecution of its Uyghur Muslim population. The PGA Tour’s failure to file a 990 form disclosing its financial dealings with Chinese private equity firm Yao Capital. As a tax-exempt organization, the PGA Tour is required to disclose such business dealings in China. It seems a clear case of the PGA Tour trying to have it both ways: gaining entry into the lucrative and largely untapped Chinese golf market, while flying under the radar of U.S. regulators and the IRS."

[@paulelliott3056]

Dan this is a great summary of this whole sorry saga. Great analysis. As a longtime fan I feel very sad for the game of golf

[@hyperpress]

"New information has come to light...man."

[@kierahall8665]

Well that’s like… your opinion man😂

[@tonyduran4293]

Lots of ins, lots of outs

[@bonniekimble4749]

Watched Rory McIlroy 's interview yesterday. Although he seemed distressed about it, he also seemed to acquiesce to the idea. I feel the players will all put money, even dirty money from the Saudis over their principles now. So their principles mean nothing at this point. They have been bought and paid for. So much for playing for the love of the sport. Money talks. Principles and morality walks.

[@janga75]

To be fair bonnie so does our govt and corporations who do business with them. Ultimately we are responsible for this post ethics era. We vote these people into power and our inability to hold them accountable for their corruption emboldens them further.

[@tatumtwo7137]

Saudi money took down the WTC.... never forget? PGA forgets ......and hopefully the American people will take a pass on this bullshit 3000 dead .....on the PGA's head now...... they have become responsible for the killing of 3000 Americans. team up with t devil ....... means...... you are the devil

[@legosrule7]

The majors are at least safe for now. The PGA Tour recognizes participation and awards FedEx Cup points for playing in the majors but they are not PGA Tour events and belong to the USGA, PGA, ANGC, and the R&A.

[@josephcostello493]

Your damn right it’s going to make it better! Moreover, Phil’s opinion of the pga tour’s shortcomings that if aired may have caused their lofted 501 status!

[@mikesumo2150]

Its going to turn golf into a sport that has no integrity. You honestly want a terrorist country buy our sports organizations. Thats total BS don't be so naive.

[@jchborg90277]

Exactly right DP. Great job.

[@stevemoisan]

Thank you, Dan - yours is the most concise breakdown of this crappy situation I've seen so far. It really is that simple - the best golfers on the planet found out via a friggin' *email* that they would soon be playing for blood money and there's really nothing they can do about it. I know it won't happen, but I would love to see Rory, Rahm, JT, Finau, Scheffler, et al. just say "fuck it" and go play in Australia or South Africa for a year, just to boost their tours a bit.

[@NiceBlue101]

Then the Saudi would buy those Tours

[@stevemoisan]

@@NiceBlue101 Yeah, they would. Damn it.

[@Thekidisalright]

Imagine thinking those golfers have some spines lol

[@karend169]

Imagine finding this out on twitter, when you are on the PGA tour.

[@jamesingwersen4240]

Sad

[@TRM83]

Its real simple. The PGA tour and the DP tour will be feeder tours for the LIV tour which will be team events just the same as the Kornferry tour is for the PGA. Its a very good business model.

[@Tom-ok2rh]

I could be wrong but I think now that the Saudis are involved in the two best tours in the world now especially the pga tour there is no need for the LIV tour. It wasn’t getting the viewers or any ranking points so it was not really a threat other than it was a bottomless pit of cash to always be a thorn in the side of the regular tour. They were always going to keep it afloat just to stay in the sport so now they are onboard I think they will slowly dissolve what’s left of the LIV tour. At least hopefully all the top players will be on one stage again which is a good thing..

[@TRM83]

@@Tom-ok2rh Remember Australia? But time will tell.

[@Toffinater]

What changed is that the PGAs business model was failing. Sponsors leaving, burning cash. PIF has deep pockets. Players who stayed got more than nothing, they got a massive increase in prize money.

[@sayhey5323]

Nonsense.

[@renejean2523]

It's the LIV business model you should be criticizing. It was always financially unviable, and it didn't matter to them. LIV was never going to make money. No legitimate organization could compete against that.

[@broadcasttttable]

So now the TV networks will be negotiating directly with the Saudis for broadcast rights? So much for any negative reporting on Saudi "news" stories. Not like there was a lot before. And what about reporting of ANY story anywhere with global ramifications that the Saudis find not to be in their best interests?

[@discr1709]

LIV was never meant to be sustainable. It was meant to be the catalyst for what is unfolding, all planned by the PIF. I also question Monahan’s authority to sign-off on this when he ostensibly works on behalf of the players.

[@iananddani]

No. Livs success is the reason this is happening and the fact the pif has so much money to run with their great product

[@tacotom3492]

​@@iananddani No one watches LIV golf ... It's all about $$$

[@iananddani]

@@tacotom3492 well I do, and this wouldnt have happened if viewership wasnt being taken. Nike is talking to buy Brooks team Smash for 2bil…

[@tatumtwo7137]

Saudi money took down the WTC.... never forget? PGA forgets ......and hopefully the American people will take a pass on this bullshit 3000 dead .....on the PGA's head now...... they have become responsible for the killing of 3000 Americans. team up with t devil ....... means...... you are the devil

[@AhmedIsmail-wt6cp]

​@@tacotom3492the pga has the worst TV ratings of any professional sport in America. And yo LIV now owns the pga.

[@rodneyneeson1335]

Australian Open fifth major. See the crowd at Adelaide PGA got nervous. They start talking seven weeks ago, that's around the time of Masters and Adelaide?

[@jamesfraley2715]

For all of you saying Monahan got billions, that would be a violation of several laws for a 'non-profit' entity like the PGA. Jay doesn't 'own' the PGA Tour, and is in essence a CEO as the commissioner. He has to answer to a board and to the players. In fact, the board would have also had to agree to this merger, and I'm sure they are all seeing dollar signs. Now, he could have been offered a larger salary as part of the new 'for profit' entity, but the IRS and the PGA tour would come after him if he took under the table money. The main reason the PGA TOUR took this deal is to keep this all out of court. This could, and likely would have, dragged on for years, so both sides decided to work together. Is it ideal? No, but it is really the only path the PGA had moving forward, as they simply couldn't fight a country with unlimited resources.

[@georgesealy4706]

Just like always loyalty only goes as far as the money required to forget it.

[@griffice1]

Sponsors were saying why should we pay the PGA so much when some of the best players are on LIV. You guys don't have the best product on the course. They needed money plain and simple.

[@rjmac3135]

Good points. Let's see if the pros will play. Lets just watch and support the LPGA and amateur golf

[@AdamJ917]

Well said Dan!

[@Bild0zer]

How do the players feel turning down billions, only for the PGA, to say “I’ll take that money” they were straight up robbed by the pga

[@mercywilliams2698]

Annals of Aramco…. As a kid in the 196O’s..I sent away in Mail for brochures magazines non profit things like UNICEF..one place memorably responded to my request and sent me a colorful magazine full of beautiful photos and world news items..very informative to an 11 year old. That was 1968. The publication continued to arrive in my family mailbox for years. Through my college years and art school..I had long since moved on from my parents home. ..eventually my mother wondered if it wasn’t finally time to cancel the thing. I would return home for a vacation and my mother would remark..there’s your Aramco magazine. Do you want me to save these? It hadn’t cost me a dime to receive this eternally glossy publication. I honestly did not know where the publication originated from. I just marveled that this magazine had unfailingly turned up for thirty years. Just looked up Aramco in Wikipedia. It’s the Saudis oil company!

[@lrn_news9171]

I don't think this is going to change the PGA tour schedule and events much. It's kinda how PGA governs DT world tour but they have their own things going.

[@gtplumbing2004]

Are they going to rename it The Persian Golf?

[@ebransc09]

Everybody’s got a price, everybody’s gotta pay because the million Dollar Man ALWAYS gets his way

[@GoodwalkSpoiled]

Don't believe the sob stories of PGA loyalists who balked at LIV. Rory M. admitted today that he was never offered a LIV contract. He was never approached to join. So he hasn't lost anything. Nor did any player who turned down a LIV offer. In reality, as the PGA Tour just proved, everyone has a price. It's where you put aside your sense of morality and high minded thoughts and take the money. We all have a price. Pro golfers are independent contractors. The ones who joined LIV took a big risk. They rolled the dice. And they've been richly rewarded. That doesn't mean the rest of the PGA pros lost something. They made choices. Or at least some of them did. No sympathy for any of the PGA tour players. They're paid a fortune to play a game in beautiful surroundings. Shuffle up and deal. There's no crying in golf. It's business, and money talks.

[@gf4670]

The thing is LIV didn't make money, it lost A LOT of money. And at the moment the Saudis don't care -- they're investing in access not profits. And the PGA's revenues have been flat for a long time; the golden days of Tiger and the 2000s is long gone. But that's what is driving me nuts in this whole conversation is the idea that the PGA and players are going to *make* so much more money. They're not; they're going to just be effectively taking a portion of Saudi oil industry money being funneled into a side project. And it's the dumbest business model ever, but not uncommon. It's just like all these tech startups that live off VC capital while hemorrhaging cash like a gut wound and all they can do is hope a bigger fish comes along and buys them at a hugely inflated price during a bubble. There's no way the revenues justify Saudi soccer paying Ronaldo 200 mil a year, it's just that at the moment they don't care about making a profit. I mean professional sports in general and really entertainment as a whole is at a saturation point; there's no real growth anymore nor anywhere it can grow and this a problem when these teams and corporations etc all carry insane levels of debt. You're simply not going to "grow" business anymore, all you can do is shill for investment and hope they don't call payout anytime soon.

[@2Thes22]

It is a startup - only 1 year old. What startup makes money in its first year. It was successful enough to lead to this merger.

[@bobbear4437]

@@2Thes22 nope they bought off the PGA leaders, with the same money that supported the 9/11 terrorists

[@TheHubisOfMan]

@@2Thes22 you beat me to it. 🙂👍

[@gf4670]

@@2Thes22 Of course it's a startup. The point is that it's never actually going to make money when its operating expenses are so out-of-control, especially voluntarily so. The business of professional golf is what it is; there are things the PGA could have done to increase its revenues and ultimately its purses, some of which they did, but paying guys like Mickelson $200 mil was never a thing that was going to happen via actual business and revenue. It's a bad business model that doesn't lend itself to long term success and is ultimately heavily dependent on corruption.

[@carrite]

Nice post.

[@jimough2441]

It is hypocritical of the tour. Matters not to me. It appears the Saudis have thrown money, and people have found their price. I, for one, have no interest in contributing. Still love golf, just don't need to watch the tour.

[@northotagogolf]

Monahan has been bought by LIV - pure and simple!

[@kjparlay]

Chamblee retiring would be one good thing to come out of this.

[@renejean2523]

Why? He's a good man that knows the game intimately and speaks a lot of sense.

[@PGO_Gaming]

@@renejean2523 They don't care about whether he is a good man or not. We know he's a good man. You have to understand that the vast majority of men in this world would sacrifice their whole family for a million dollars. Every single one of their siblings for the almighty dollar. The majority of men saw nothing wrong in players sticking their middle finger up to the PGA Tour for millions of dollars from dudes in the shadows. They sell themselves for money every day of the week and would sell you and I out without even a thought. They saw the LIV guys as taking their chance and be damned with their allegiances and promises. It's par for the course for them.

[@bobsanders8030]

You nailed it Dan.

[@85ABC]

End of the day, bad money exists all over including in the USA. So I find it hypocritical for American’s to suggest that somehow the Saudi money is worse than American money…. PGA players already took money from all over the world. And what about the DP World Tour, was that totally fine yet LIV was totally bad?

[@jamesfraley2715]

If you listen to what Jay said closely, it was all rhetoric (propaganda actually) from the beginning. He states, " I said it based on the information I had." But the next part is key to Jay's true intentions all along, "I said it based on someone who's trying to compete for the PGA tour and our players." Here he suggests he was ONLY using 911 and the Saudi human rights issues to keep his players on the Tour. This is an argument based solely on pathos to fan the flames of patriotism - one which suggested the PGA was noble and had integrity - when in fact, this was always about money. This is the most unethical form of rhetoric and the worst kind of leader, and if I was Tiger or Rory, I would start my own tour and bring the best with me.

[@robertcammon5969]

I wonder if the PGA tour was already taking PIF money and didn't know. Lot of the sponsors may have been I'm business with PIF.

[@carrite]

Document your Alternative Facts.(tm)

[@bobbear4437]

Today I cancelled my PGA subscription with ESPN+ today, cannot support anything with the Saudi LIV tour, after it was revealed the Saudi's financed the 9/11 attackers! Maybe some of the players will start a patriotic league!

[@theophilusconnor]

Good for you! I'm going to have strong reservations about watching pro golf any more. I loved watching the back 9 on Sunday, and especially playoffs. But the whole sport feels tainted now. The players who refused to play for LIV will now have to accept Saudi blood money, or retire.

[@JJG86]

You won’t be missed.

[@JJG86]

Provide the proof that the Saudi government was involved with the 9/11 attacks. You can’t, that’s what you leftists do, you lie.

[@JJG86]

@@theophilusconnor You won’t be missed.

[@theophilusconnor]

@@JJG86 You’re a failure at life.

[@PianoUniverse]

If this goes through, heads will roll.

[@eddiebrown687]

I quit watching a couple of years ago when all these millionaires just kept wanting to be richer, made me sick. So I'm not watching anyway, and I'll still shoot my mid-80's once a week and enjoy the game for what it was always suppose to be about, along with football, baseball, basketball, etc.............Just a game. Not some way to get filthy rich and never actually work a day in your life.

[@SkipMDMan]

On the left hand side of the video at the bottom there's a box and you can only see the 5 stars in blue along the top. Is that a box of Air Force One M&Ms? I have a box from Clinton.

[@lewisjr1332]

The PGA tour realized that they were on the losing end of this one. In the courts and in popularity!

[@DaringDan]

I'm gonna get into ASMR as a way to fall asleep on Sunday afternoons now that my favorite background noise is just a storefront for Saudis to schmooze execs.

[@mvubu6823]

Try Formula one... Best sleeping pill ever

[@theophilusconnor]

Golf is exciting to play and watch in real life, but on TV it will put you to sleep.

[@jameslucas2663]

Non profit organization Jay makes over 8.3 million

[@garygwinn5818]

All you who stood on a high horse, realize now you were duped.

[@jdaniels4704]

Is this going to bring down the price of fuel at the pump?

[@tomgroth4988]

PGA and mass media vilify professional golfers for making a business decision. Logan Roy “Congratulations for saying the bigger number.” Congratulations Phil and LIV players.

[@georgesealy4706]

Nobody talks much about the fact the new LLC will be a 'for-profit' organization. The PGA Tour has always been a non-profit organization. And so now Monahan can make a gazillion dollars and who knows how the new LLC will leverage golf. They will try to make money in any way they can.

[@dodger1214]

True story: My mom was in the Boston area the weekend before 9/11. She was initially was coming back to LA on Sunday September 9th, but then decided to change her return to Tuesday September 11th, and was going to fly on United 175. But because she had a surgery scheduled for the 11th at UCLA, and was going to have to reschedule, as the doctor needs to examine you and check you out a couple days before hand before the procedure could take place. She needed the surgery that week, so she did not change her flight. Thank goodness she didn't. Because of this, the Saudis are dead to me. I will go broke and homeless before I ever accept a dime from them. What the PGA did is a disgrace and I don't blame the 9/11 families for feeling betrayed.

[@-Thunder]

I hope the Bush family is on your list. They are tight with the Royals and were at the time.

[@dodger1214]

@@-Thunder Let's just say they haven't gotten any Christmas cards from us. And won't anytime soon.

[@isambo400]

Explain how exactly the Saudi’s did 9/11

[@dodger1214]

@@isambo400 The 9/11 terrorists were trained in Saudia Arabia.

[@mangos2888]

Wait, so you're the descendant of a 9/11 near miss and are swearing off golf 22+ years later on a grudge? You got a boring ass life, man. Really boring life.

[@Lifendz]

Just despicable, but hey, everything is for sale in this country.

[@svetcovladich9996]

It's historic, and not historical, Mr. Monahan. In fact, it's neither of the two, you should have said "it's an infamous day."

[@johnburnett3942]

It's early days, I'm sure that over the next few weeks, more answers to questions will be forth coming.

[@CindyFagerstrom-d2t]

"We've met the enemy and it is us." Saudi PIF offered the tour an investment, a potful of money 3-4 years ago. The tour turned it down. Hence, LIV golf. Today, on second thought, we'll take the money.

[@scottbaxendale323]

I heard that all players now have to carry a bone saw in their bag.

[@delaware137]

It's so easy to watch something other than men's professional golf.

[@LLPOF]

I don't watch NFL since a few years ago. Never will again. Now, add golf to that list. MLB and NBA are close to being added, but that's just really hard for me. Probably should have given them up well before now. Such a shame.

[@carrite]

If you're still watching baseball and the NBA but not the NFL, you're already messed up.

[@michaelst7680]

It really, really bothers me when all the media refers to the future of 'golf' . This is ONLY about PROFESSIONAL golf. It has absolutely NOTHING to do with the game of golf. It's ONLY about those who play golf for money, or those who manage those who play for money. If people who love the game want to make a statement - DO NOT SUPPORT PAID GOLF !! Do not attend tournaments, do not watch golf on TV. Do not support partners of paid golf. Go out and PLAY golf at your local courses.

[@mbethwebb9415]

Is everything in these US for sale? The corrupting influence of money but let us be clear, there was another option, it was called saying NO to the money.

[@theophilusconnor]

Most PGA golfers are already financially set, and definitely don't need the extra Saudi money. It's just sheer greed on Monahan's part. Disgusting.

[@rawfootagetoday6766]

Golf is forever tainted. Boycott the advertisers.

[@dantrav1927]

Unfortunately I'm done watching golf.

[@genemontoya4028]

Time for a new golf tour

[@JamesGatz-o6v]

Golf is the eighth most popular sport in the world, even behind table tennis. I stopped watching golf years ago even though I still play occassionally. The PGA is on a slow death march to obscurity and this only hastens the journey.

[@gf4670]

Yeah, that's sort of my point as well. In the 1950s the most popular sports in the US were baseball, boxing, and horse racing. By far. Well, that has changed a lot. The room for most of these established professional sports to grow is very limited, and their corporate institutions are loaded with bad debt and corruption. And now a lot of these semi-washed pros who have seen revenues stagnate are just looking for one last major pay day.

[@johncassani6780]

I think you’re right. All that they care about is preserving the flow of money. People don’t watch golf because of how much money is on the line. Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus drove a huge increase in purses, back in the ‘60s and ‘70s. From then, until Tiger came along, the purses increased quite slowly. Tiger brought huge amounts of money into golf. Corporate sponsors were tripping over themselves to throw money at a sport that had one of the most popular athletes in the world. Now, they want to keep increasing the money, without any transcendent star power. It’s not going to happen without the Saudi money.

[@DjangoAccelerando]

Is this merge legal? Does Monahan have THAT much power?? Is PGA runned by the players, a board or just Monahan? Who has the power? Thankful for any respons.

[@DavidBedell654]

And yesterday this merger “. . . was good for the fans. . . “

[@Raydington]

Why is it you always hear from families of people who were in the towers but we never hear from the family members of those who were on the planes? 🤔

[@mjnelson4151]

$$$$$$$ Money is the new information the commissioner got.

[@SeniorGymBro-Tom]

Jay “Moneyhand” obviously got his palms greased with Saudi oil money 💰!

[@dieseldan5189]

Very accurate:”The Saudi Gov’t bought the PGA Tour”. Wow! Principles and values matter and the West certainly does not share the same values as the Saudi’s. A few golfers sold their values to the Saudi’s but most of the golfers did not, but the PGA did it for them. Unbelievable!

[@bosquelfc6152]

This was always going to happen and the players were used for puppets. The players who left for LIV understood their value and chose themselves over an organization that makes money off of others. They cry foul about Saudi Arabia but look the other way at places like Augusta who didn’t allow its first black competitor until 1975, first black member until 1990, and first female member until 2012. This is all during our lifetime or parents lifetime. Manohey asked players to not take the money but clearly took a big paycheck in this merger. Money talks.

[@bosquelfc6152]

You had to use black caddies dressed in a white jumpsuit for christs sake. Lol. The hypocrisy is real and was always there. They’re just richer now.

[@Seektruth-59]

How was JM able to sign this off without direct input from the players?

[@2Thes22]

The sad day for me was not based on a hypocrisy over the source of funds but rather about the elimination of competition.

[@madhattersc4051]

If what I heard on Eisen is true and this still has to go through approvals of the Player board as well govt approvals is it possible that this never really happens and “maybe” (hopefully) this is about deferring lawsuits and buying time? The other thought is what keeps the tour players from just dropping the tour and starting their own… kind of a reverse “Liv”. You don’t think they have the clout and corporate connections to make that a reality? As long as they get the majors locked in, which they could, think they still have power.

[@onenine73_]

They were already taking the LIV money through the various sponsorhip deals they have as most of those companies have relationships with the Saudis (people would be surprised just how many high profile ones do) - that being said the only new information was probably a big fat pay cheque that Monahan would get upon signing off of this deal. The top guys already make a fortune many times over so I couldn't care less that they missed out on the LIV money for not joining them, but it is the guys further down the list that have to play as many events as possible to keep their card and make their living that get screwed the most by this - ok having principles but they don't put food on your table or pay your bills and regardless of how they view LIV/Saudis they have no real option but to suck it up and play on. Sadly money talks and if you throw enough of it at a situation when it is business related (as LIV can do with their backing) this was the only likely outcome - the PGA just doesn't have the deep enough pockets to compete with them to stay an independent entity as they no doubt would have wished. Monanhan's pay cheque no doubt will compensate him greatly for selling out after he loses his PGA job - if LIV still survive afterwards, it wouldn't surprise me ends up with them.

[@Unshou]

This feels like the final episode of Succession where Mattson swoops in and buys the lot and just places a "front-man" as the CEO of the new entity. In this case, Jay Monahan is Tom Wambsgans 😀. Bit of a hollow victory but I guess he'll be richer as a result.

[@anthonypatterson8796]

Imagine if I told you as you watched 9/11 that there will be an America where 'saving golf' will be the excuse to absolve what happened?