LIV Golf Holds Fancy NYC Media Event to Say One Thing: We’re Here to Stay

LIV Golf and Leonardo DiCaprio’s portrayal of Jordan Belfort in the Wolf of Wall Street now have more than one thing in common. Besides the fact they both have A LOT of money, they now share this catchy-yet-bold phrase:

“I’m not f—ing leaving!”

LIV gathered over 100 advertising and branding executives in a fancy, schmancy New York City ballroom on the Lower East Side this past week to ensure people from all walks of media that they plan to be around in 2024…and 2025, and 2026, and maybe even 2027 and beyond.

While it has been rumored that LIV would likely dissipate and become a thing of the past seven weeks ago after its financier, the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF), reached a preliminary agreement with the PGA Tour to abolish the massive lawsuit both were entangled in and become a merged entity, there are evidently no plans for things to become a cohesive effort.

Golfing in West Virginia this week ⛰️#LIVGolf pic.twitter.com/f71RRHT556

— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) July 31, 2023

Instead, the golf league’s biggest names, like Cam Smith, Dustin Johnson, and Bryson DeChambeau, were there in person to detail their excitement for LIV’s format and what the controversial tour will offer the game of golf in the coming years.

Greg Norman also explained that, despite the “headwinds” the league has felt since the merger announcement, he is still receiving phone calls from players that have an interest in joining LIV.

While Norman seems confident of LIV’s existence past this year and well beyond the merger, the Washington Post correctly points out that he will not be the one to make that decision:

“…if the PGA Tour and the PIF manage to agree on final terms and their partnership becomes official, the tour has made clear it plans to oust Norman immediately.”

The early details of the merger have indicated that the PGA Tour and LIV will become a newly-created entity.

Jay Monahan, PGA Tour Commissioner, said in the first letter to players after the merger was agreed:

“There is much work to do to get us from a framework agreement to a definitive agreement, but one thing is obvious: through this transformational agreement and with PIF’s collaborative investment, the immeasurable strength of the PGA TOUR’s history, legacy, and pro-competitive model not only remains intact, but is supercharged for the future. Our game, our players, and our fans will no doubt benefit for years to come.”

But what is to come, is really anyone’s guess. Both LIV and the PGA Tour are set to announce their schedules for next season relatively soon, and with no deal on the table quite yet, there is still room for speculation regarding the future of golf and what will happen for years to come.

There is still the possibility things do not get done, as Jimmy Dunne, a member of the PGA Tour Policy Board, said:

“If it ends up we don’t get to an agreement, which is possible, LIV Golf will still be there. They’ll still have a lot of money.”

Cover Image via Sporting News