LIV Golf commentator and former NBC Sports Color Commentator David Feherty hinted to a West Palm Beach crowd today that the controversial Saudi Arabia-backed golf tour is close to landing a TV deal.
According to Feherty, the CW Network is next in line to land a TV deal for LIV, which has spent the last year live streaming on YouTube, as various networks have either declined or been unable to come to terms for broadcasting rights.
#NEW: LIV is close to finalizing a TV deal with CW Network, according to David Feherty, who told the crowd the news at an event in FL. “I may get fired for this”, he warned. The network is known for airing superhero shows & teen dramas and has 220 US affiliates. (Via @pbpost)
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) January 17, 2023
Feherty said, according to a report from GolfWeek:
“Have you heard of CW? I might get fired for this, but…”
Feherty notoriously left NBC last year after stating that he left for money:
“People don’t talk about it. I hear, ‘Well, it’s to grow the game.’ Bull****. They paid me a lot of money.”
The eight LIV events live-streamed on YouTube accumulated an average viewership of roughly 67,000 viewers. The Boston event, which was won by Dustin Johnson after 54 holes and a playoff, was the tour’s most-viewed event on average.
While LIV has essentially limitless money, it still needs a platform and widespread publicity. That would most easily come through a TV deal that would bring events to streaming services like Hulu TV or satellite television providers like Dish Network. Streaming the tournaments for free on YouTube will not help LIV compete with the PGA Tour, especially in terms of viewership figures.
NEW: LIV Golf and The CW are close to announcing a multiyear broadcast deal, @FOS has learned. LIV Golf analyst David Feherty dropped a clue last week as @tomdangelo44 reported today. LIV Golf will continue to produce events under agreement. https://t.co/4tBLecj7ST
— A.J. Perez (@byajperez) January 17, 2023
It is likely the biggest bottleneck to LIV’s growth, as relatively routine PGA events like the Canadian Open averaged 3.67 million views during its final round. The tournament was won by Rory McIlroy and occurred on the same weekend as LIV’s inaugural event in London.
It is certain that LIV has no lack of talent. Following the conclusion of the PGA Tour’s season at the Tour Championship in East Lake last August, Cameron Smith, Joaquin Niemann, and Harold Varner III joined the likes of Johnson, DeChambeau, Koepka, and Mickelson at the 54-hole tour. Talent and name-wise, LIV Golf has the firepower to compete with the PGA Tour.
Like it or not, several defectors were fan favorites while they competed on the PGA Tour. While those names alone may not persuade golf fans to watch LIV, landing a TV deal might. Having the right platform is the only missing link.
It seems LIV Golf might have found its network.
Cover Image Via Golf Channel
