AS WE MOVE CLOSER TO THE RUMOURED UNVEILING OF THE SUPER GOLF LEAGUE SHANK LOOKS AT LEAGUES THE ESTABLISHMENT AND TRADITIONAL MEDIA SAID WOULD FAIL, ALONG WITH OTHER BREAKAWAYS WHICH BECAME WORLDWIDE SUCCESS STORIES
THE RUMOURS HAVE INTENSIFIED OF THE IMPENDING LAUNCH OF THE SUPER GOLF LEAGUE SINCE THE SAUDI INTERNATIONAL, WHICH WAS WON IN DRAMATIC FASHION BY HAROLD VARNER III OVER BUBBA WATSON AT ROYAL GREENS IN JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA AT THE START OF FEBRUARY. THAT WEEK ALSO SAW THE ASIAN TOUR AND LIV GOLF INVESTMENTS UNVEIL THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES, WHICH IS SET TO BECOME THE ASIAN TOUR'S VERSION OF THE ROLEX SERIES, ALBEIT WITH LOWER PRIZE FUNDS AND OBVIOUSLY NOT THE STRENGTH OF FIELD WHICH THE DP WORLD TOUR CAN COMMAND FOR ITS PREMIER EVENTS.
AFTER THE PREVIEW WE HAVE THE ENCORE, THE THING WHICH ALMOST EVERYONE IN GOLF HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR MONTHS, THE SUPER GOLF LEAGUE, IF THAT IS INDEED WHAT IT WILL BE CALLED. A LAUNCH IS SPECULATED TO BE HAPPENING THE WEEK OF THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP IN WHAT HAS BEEN SEEN AS A PROVOCATIVE MOVE BY GREG NORMAN, DURING THE TOURNAMENT HE WON IN RECORD FASHION 28 YEARS AGO, THE FLAGSHIP EVENT OF THE PGA TOUR AND ONE WHICH WILL OFFER THE RICHEST PURSE EVER SEEN FOR A SINGLE TOURNAMENT IN GOLF, $20MILLION.
OF COURSE THE MAINSTREAM GOLFING MEDIA, WITH THEIR DECADES OF COVERAGE OF THE EXISTING, ESTABLISHMENT RUN TOURS AND MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIPS, HAVE BEEN OUTSPOKENLY CRITICAL OF THE RUMOURED PLANS AND YET AGAIN THE FEROCITY AND FURY VENTED TOWARDS A 'PLAN' WHICH NOBODY KNOWS THE TRUE DETAILS OF, IS LAUGHABLE. HAS NOBODY LEARNED FROM HISTORY? THERE ARE MANY EXAMPLES OF NEW SPORTS ENTITIES OVER THE LAST HALF CENTURY WHICH HAVE GARNERED THE SAME UNWARRANTED CRITICISM AND DERISION, BUT HAVE TURNED INTO WORLDWIDE SUCCESS STORIES, AND HAVE BECOME SOME OF THE MOST POPULAR AND TRANSFORMATIONAL PROPERTIES IN THE WORLD.
YES, I UNDERSTAND THE SENSE OF UNEASE ABOUT THE SOURCE OF THE MAJORITY OF THE MONEY BEHIND LIV GOLF INVESTMENTS. I GET IT. BUT WHAT I DON'T GET IS WHY THE SAME UNEASE AND FURY ISN'T VENTED TOWARDS THE EUROPEAN TOUR GROUP FOR THEIR SELL-OUT TO UAE-BASED DP WORLD? THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, AS ILLUSTRATED IN MY ARTICLE 'GIVING THE GAME A SHEIKH UP' HAS A DUBIOUS INTERNATIONAL RECORD AND A TRULY ABHORRENT ATTITUDE TOWARDS MIGRANT WORKERS, LGBTQ+ INDIVIDUALS AND WOMEN. YET THE INVESTMENT IN THE EUROPEAN TOUR HAS BEEN WELCOMED WITH OPEN ARMS FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS, AND ITS NOW REACHED THE POINT WHERE DUBAI BASICALLY RUNS THE TOUR FINANCIALLY.
THE EUROPEAN TOUR HAD THE CHANCE TO BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF CHANGING THE GLOBAL GAME FOREVER. IT COULD HAVE ACCEPTED THE APPROACH FROM THE WORLD GOLF GROUP AND THE PREMIER GOLF LEAGUE, AND CREATED A TOP TIER OF EVENTS WHICH WOULD HAVE GIVEN GOLF A TRULY GLOBAL PLATFORM ALONGSIDE THE PGA TOUR. INSTEAD IT CHOSE TO FORM A STRATEGIC ALLIANCE WITH THE PGA TOUR, AN ALLIANCE WHICH WILL FOREVER SEE THE DP WORLD TOUR IN THE SHADOW OF ITS BIGGER, RICHER AND MORE RENOWNED UNCLE.
IT COULD ALSO HAVE ACCEPTED THE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT FROM THE SAUDI PUBLIC INVESTMENT FUND, YES I UNDERSTAND THE PUBLICITY ISSUES WITH DOING THAT, BUT THE EUROPEAN TOUR COULD HAVE FINALLY FULFILLED ITS POTENTIAL, AND CHANGED THE GAME FOREVER. THAT OPPORTUNITY IS NOW LOST, FOR NOW.
STEP FORWARD GREG NORMAN 28 YEARS ON FROM HIS FIRST ATTEMPT AT LAUNCHING A WORLD TOUR, A TOUR WHICH WAS TO BE 8 EVENTS PLAYED ACROSS THE WORLD WITH 4 IN THE USA AND 4 AROUND THE GLOBE IN CANADA, JAPAN, SCOTLAND AND AUSTRALIA. HIS NEWLY FORMED COMPANY, BACKED BY THE SAUDI PUBLIC INVESTMENT FUND, HAS ASSEMBLED A WORLD CLASS TEAM OF EXPERIENCED INDIVIDUALS FROM A VARIETY OF BACKGROUNDS ACROSS GOLF, SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT INCLUDING PEOPLE WHO HAVE HELD ROLES AT MANCHESTER UNITED, AUGUSTA NATIONAL & THE MASTERS, PINEHURST RESORT, PGA TOUR, ESPN, LIBERTY MEDIA, WWE, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS, CHICAGO FIRE, ALLI SPORTS, WME, CAA, NEW YORK YANKEES AND GREAT WHITE SHARK ENTERPRISES.
EVERYONE IN THE ESTABLISHMENT IS UP IN ARMS, THREATENING BANS FOR THE PLAYERS AND POURING COLD WATER ON ALTERNATIVE PLAN FOR ELITE, TOP TIER PROFESSIONAL GOLF. SHOCK, HORROR, NOBODY CAN DO IT BETTER THAN US, ITS ALL ABOUT MONEY, AND IT WON'T LAST. NOW WHERE HAVE WE HEARD THAT BEFORE?
AFTER THE PREVIEW WE HAVE THE ENCORE, THE THING WHICH ALMOST EVERYONE IN GOLF HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR MONTHS, THE SUPER GOLF LEAGUE, IF THAT IS INDEED WHAT IT WILL BE CALLED. A LAUNCH IS SPECULATED TO BE HAPPENING THE WEEK OF THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP IN WHAT HAS BEEN SEEN AS A PROVOCATIVE MOVE BY GREG NORMAN, DURING THE TOURNAMENT HE WON IN RECORD FASHION 28 YEARS AGO, THE FLAGSHIP EVENT OF THE PGA TOUR AND ONE WHICH WILL OFFER THE RICHEST PURSE EVER SEEN FOR A SINGLE TOURNAMENT IN GOLF, $20MILLION.
OF COURSE THE MAINSTREAM GOLFING MEDIA, WITH THEIR DECADES OF COVERAGE OF THE EXISTING, ESTABLISHMENT RUN TOURS AND MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIPS, HAVE BEEN OUTSPOKENLY CRITICAL OF THE RUMOURED PLANS AND YET AGAIN THE FEROCITY AND FURY VENTED TOWARDS A 'PLAN' WHICH NOBODY KNOWS THE TRUE DETAILS OF, IS LAUGHABLE. HAS NOBODY LEARNED FROM HISTORY? THERE ARE MANY EXAMPLES OF NEW SPORTS ENTITIES OVER THE LAST HALF CENTURY WHICH HAVE GARNERED THE SAME UNWARRANTED CRITICISM AND DERISION, BUT HAVE TURNED INTO WORLDWIDE SUCCESS STORIES, AND HAVE BECOME SOME OF THE MOST POPULAR AND TRANSFORMATIONAL PROPERTIES IN THE WORLD.
YES, I UNDERSTAND THE SENSE OF UNEASE ABOUT THE SOURCE OF THE MAJORITY OF THE MONEY BEHIND LIV GOLF INVESTMENTS. I GET IT. BUT WHAT I DON'T GET IS WHY THE SAME UNEASE AND FURY ISN'T VENTED TOWARDS THE EUROPEAN TOUR GROUP FOR THEIR SELL-OUT TO UAE-BASED DP WORLD? THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, AS ILLUSTRATED IN MY ARTICLE 'GIVING THE GAME A SHEIKH UP' HAS A DUBIOUS INTERNATIONAL RECORD AND A TRULY ABHORRENT ATTITUDE TOWARDS MIGRANT WORKERS, LGBTQ+ INDIVIDUALS AND WOMEN. YET THE INVESTMENT IN THE EUROPEAN TOUR HAS BEEN WELCOMED WITH OPEN ARMS FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS, AND ITS NOW REACHED THE POINT WHERE DUBAI BASICALLY RUNS THE TOUR FINANCIALLY.
THE EUROPEAN TOUR HAD THE CHANCE TO BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF CHANGING THE GLOBAL GAME FOREVER. IT COULD HAVE ACCEPTED THE APPROACH FROM THE WORLD GOLF GROUP AND THE PREMIER GOLF LEAGUE, AND CREATED A TOP TIER OF EVENTS WHICH WOULD HAVE GIVEN GOLF A TRULY GLOBAL PLATFORM ALONGSIDE THE PGA TOUR. INSTEAD IT CHOSE TO FORM A STRATEGIC ALLIANCE WITH THE PGA TOUR, AN ALLIANCE WHICH WILL FOREVER SEE THE DP WORLD TOUR IN THE SHADOW OF ITS BIGGER, RICHER AND MORE RENOWNED UNCLE.
IT COULD ALSO HAVE ACCEPTED THE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT FROM THE SAUDI PUBLIC INVESTMENT FUND, YES I UNDERSTAND THE PUBLICITY ISSUES WITH DOING THAT, BUT THE EUROPEAN TOUR COULD HAVE FINALLY FULFILLED ITS POTENTIAL, AND CHANGED THE GAME FOREVER. THAT OPPORTUNITY IS NOW LOST, FOR NOW.
STEP FORWARD GREG NORMAN 28 YEARS ON FROM HIS FIRST ATTEMPT AT LAUNCHING A WORLD TOUR, A TOUR WHICH WAS TO BE 8 EVENTS PLAYED ACROSS THE WORLD WITH 4 IN THE USA AND 4 AROUND THE GLOBE IN CANADA, JAPAN, SCOTLAND AND AUSTRALIA. HIS NEWLY FORMED COMPANY, BACKED BY THE SAUDI PUBLIC INVESTMENT FUND, HAS ASSEMBLED A WORLD CLASS TEAM OF EXPERIENCED INDIVIDUALS FROM A VARIETY OF BACKGROUNDS ACROSS GOLF, SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT INCLUDING PEOPLE WHO HAVE HELD ROLES AT MANCHESTER UNITED, AUGUSTA NATIONAL & THE MASTERS, PINEHURST RESORT, PGA TOUR, ESPN, LIBERTY MEDIA, WWE, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS, CHICAGO FIRE, ALLI SPORTS, WME, CAA, NEW YORK YANKEES AND GREAT WHITE SHARK ENTERPRISES.
EVERYONE IN THE ESTABLISHMENT IS UP IN ARMS, THREATENING BANS FOR THE PLAYERS AND POURING COLD WATER ON ALTERNATIVE PLAN FOR ELITE, TOP TIER PROFESSIONAL GOLF. SHOCK, HORROR, NOBODY CAN DO IT BETTER THAN US, ITS ALL ABOUT MONEY, AND IT WON'T LAST. NOW WHERE HAVE WE HEARD THAT BEFORE?
30 YEARS AGO THE PREMIER LEAGUE LAUNCHED, AND IN THE MONTHS LEADING UP TO ITS FORMATION THERE WAS STAUNCH OPPOSITION TO A PLAN WHICH WOULD SEE THE TOP LEAGUE BREAK AWAY FROM A CENTURY OF TRADITION, LEAVING THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE TO FORM THE PREMIER LEAGUE. THE PEOPLE AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE BREAKAWAY WERE THE CHAIRMEN OF THE BIG FIVE - LIVERPOOL, EVERTON, ARSENAL, MANCHESTER UNITED AND TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR, AND THEY HELD SECRET MEETINGS TO DISCUSS THE PLAN IN THE EARLY 1990'S.
THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE AND INDIVIDUAL CHAIRMEN WITHIN THE LEAGUE LOWER DOWN THE LEAGUE OPPOSED THE PREMIER LEAGUE CONCEPT FIERCELY, BUT IT WAS DECIDED IN COURT THAT THE BREAKAWAY COULD HAPPEN, AND IT DID HAPPEN UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION, THE GOVERNING BODY OF ENGLISH FOOTBALL. THE INITIAL PLAN WAS FOR AN 18-TEAM LEAGUE TO LAUNCH BY 1996, IT LAUNCHED IN 1992 AND OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS IT HASN'T JUST BECOME THE MOST-WATCHED LEAGUE IN FOOTBALL, IT IS THE WORLD'S PREMIER SPORTS PROPERTY, BY FAR.
THE LEAGUE HAS REVOLUTIONISED FOOTBALL ACROSS THE WORLD AS OTHER LEAGUES TRY TO KEEP UP WITH THE WORLD LEADER, AND THE STADIUMS WHICH HOUSE THOUSANDS OF FANS EVERY WEEK HAVE NEVER BEEN BETTER OR SAFER. THE FAN EXPERIENCE HAS NEVER BEEN BETTER AND MORE FAMILIES THAN EVER BEFORE GO TO GAMES, AND THE SPORT HAS BECOME A TELEVISION SPECTACLE UNLIKE ANY OTHER SPORTS PROPERTY.
THE LEAGUE COMMANDS A GLOBAL TV AUDIENCE PER SEASON OF APPROXIMATELY 4.7 BILLION, WHICH EQUATES ON AVERAGE TO 12.7 MILLION VIEWERS PER GAME FOR A 380-GAME SEASON. TO COMPARE THIS TO FORMULA 1, THE WORLD'S LEADING MOTORSPORT CIRCUIT HAS 1.55BILLION TV VIEWERS THROUGHOUT THE SEASON WITH AN AVERAGE OF 70.3MILLION FOR ITS 22-RACE CALENDAR.
THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE AND INDIVIDUAL CHAIRMEN WITHIN THE LEAGUE LOWER DOWN THE LEAGUE OPPOSED THE PREMIER LEAGUE CONCEPT FIERCELY, BUT IT WAS DECIDED IN COURT THAT THE BREAKAWAY COULD HAPPEN, AND IT DID HAPPEN UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION, THE GOVERNING BODY OF ENGLISH FOOTBALL. THE INITIAL PLAN WAS FOR AN 18-TEAM LEAGUE TO LAUNCH BY 1996, IT LAUNCHED IN 1992 AND OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS IT HASN'T JUST BECOME THE MOST-WATCHED LEAGUE IN FOOTBALL, IT IS THE WORLD'S PREMIER SPORTS PROPERTY, BY FAR.
THE LEAGUE HAS REVOLUTIONISED FOOTBALL ACROSS THE WORLD AS OTHER LEAGUES TRY TO KEEP UP WITH THE WORLD LEADER, AND THE STADIUMS WHICH HOUSE THOUSANDS OF FANS EVERY WEEK HAVE NEVER BEEN BETTER OR SAFER. THE FAN EXPERIENCE HAS NEVER BEEN BETTER AND MORE FAMILIES THAN EVER BEFORE GO TO GAMES, AND THE SPORT HAS BECOME A TELEVISION SPECTACLE UNLIKE ANY OTHER SPORTS PROPERTY.
THE LEAGUE COMMANDS A GLOBAL TV AUDIENCE PER SEASON OF APPROXIMATELY 4.7 BILLION, WHICH EQUATES ON AVERAGE TO 12.7 MILLION VIEWERS PER GAME FOR A 380-GAME SEASON. TO COMPARE THIS TO FORMULA 1, THE WORLD'S LEADING MOTORSPORT CIRCUIT HAS 1.55BILLION TV VIEWERS THROUGHOUT THE SEASON WITH AN AVERAGE OF 70.3MILLION FOR ITS 22-RACE CALENDAR.
THE ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP ISN'T A BREAKAWAY, BUT UFC IS A NEW LEAGUE, AND WHEN IT LAUNCHED THERE WERE MANY SCEPTICS ABOUT ITS POTENTIAL.
THE SPORT RECEIVED WIDESPREAD NEGATIVE PRESS FOR ITS UNREGULATED VIOLENCE, WHICH IN ESSENCE FORCED IT TO BECOME PAY-PER-VIEW, AND HAS NEARLY 30 YEARS LATER BECOME ONE OF THE GREAT SPORTS PROPERTIES OF THE WORLD, WORTH NEARLY $10 BILLION.
UFC HAS GROWN ITS AUDIENCE AND CREATED A PASSIONATE AND ENGAGED AUDIENCE, AND ITS PAY-PER-VIEW EVENTS ARE NOW VIEWED BY MILLIONS ACROSS AMERICA AND THE REST OF THE WORLD.
THE SPORT RECEIVED WIDESPREAD NEGATIVE PRESS FOR ITS UNREGULATED VIOLENCE, WHICH IN ESSENCE FORCED IT TO BECOME PAY-PER-VIEW, AND HAS NEARLY 30 YEARS LATER BECOME ONE OF THE GREAT SPORTS PROPERTIES OF THE WORLD, WORTH NEARLY $10 BILLION.
UFC HAS GROWN ITS AUDIENCE AND CREATED A PASSIONATE AND ENGAGED AUDIENCE, AND ITS PAY-PER-VIEW EVENTS ARE NOW VIEWED BY MILLIONS ACROSS AMERICA AND THE REST OF THE WORLD.
OTHER CONTROVERSIAL CHANGES ACROSS SPORT OVER THE YEARS INCLUDE THE MOVE FROM WINTER TO SUMMER FOR RUGBY LEAGUE IN ENGLAND. THE SUPER LEAGUE, CREATED IN 1996, WAS REVOLUTIONARY FOR THE SPORT WITH MORE TV VIEWERS AND HIGHER ATTENDANCES FOR LEAGUE GAMES THAN EVER BEFORE.
THE SPORT IS NOW GROWING ACROSS ENGLAND, REACHING OUT BEYOND ITS ROOTS IN YORKSHIRE AND THE NORTH WEST OF ENGLAND.
THE INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE CRICKET LAUNCHED IN 2007 AS A FRANCHISE TWENTY20 LEAGUE PLAYED ACROSS INDIA, AND WAS BUILT ON THE BACK OF BUYING THE WORLD'S STAR CRICKET PLAYERS AT AN ANNUAL AUCTION, WITH PLAYERS BEING BOUGHT FOR 6 FIGURE SUMS, A FIRST OF ITS KIND IN CRICKET. THE LEAGUE WAS PANNED BY THE TRADITIONALISTS AT THE TIME.
BUT IT IS NOW THE 6TH BEST ATTENDED LEAGUE OF ANY SPORT IN THE WHOLE WORLD, WITH GAMES REGULARLY ATTRACTING CROWDS OF 30,000+. THE IPL IS ALSO ONE OF THE WORLD'S PREMIER TV SPORTS, WATCHED BY A GLOBAL AUDIENCE OF 380 MILLION, AN AVERAGE OF 6.3 MILLION VIEWERS PER GAME.
THE SPORT IS NOW GROWING ACROSS ENGLAND, REACHING OUT BEYOND ITS ROOTS IN YORKSHIRE AND THE NORTH WEST OF ENGLAND.
THE INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE CRICKET LAUNCHED IN 2007 AS A FRANCHISE TWENTY20 LEAGUE PLAYED ACROSS INDIA, AND WAS BUILT ON THE BACK OF BUYING THE WORLD'S STAR CRICKET PLAYERS AT AN ANNUAL AUCTION, WITH PLAYERS BEING BOUGHT FOR 6 FIGURE SUMS, A FIRST OF ITS KIND IN CRICKET. THE LEAGUE WAS PANNED BY THE TRADITIONALISTS AT THE TIME.
BUT IT IS NOW THE 6TH BEST ATTENDED LEAGUE OF ANY SPORT IN THE WHOLE WORLD, WITH GAMES REGULARLY ATTRACTING CROWDS OF 30,000+. THE IPL IS ALSO ONE OF THE WORLD'S PREMIER TV SPORTS, WATCHED BY A GLOBAL AUDIENCE OF 380 MILLION, AN AVERAGE OF 6.3 MILLION VIEWERS PER GAME.
