17 JANUARY, 2023 - SHANK STUDIO, BY MATT HOOPER: It is being reported that LIV Golf has secured a US Television deal with the CW Network.
Launched in 2006, the CW Network is owned by Nexstar Media Group, and interestingly part-owned by Paramount Global and Warner Bros Discovery. Paramount own CBS, a major broadcast partner of the PGA Tour, and Warner Bros Discovery, who hold the rights globally for the PGA Tour and DP World Tour outside the US.
After the closure of GOLF TV, the PGA Tour is set to regain its role as the manager of the worldwide TV Rights for the PGA Tour at the end of the 2023 season. This potentially opens up a global broadcast possibility for LIV Golf.
Nexstar and Warner Bros Discovery also co-own other networks, so could LIV Golf be coming to Discovery+ ?
THE ENTIRE FIRST SEASON OF LIV GOLF WAS BROADCAST GLOBALLY, FOR FREE, ON YOUTUBE AND THE LIV GOLF WEBSITE, WITH THE OPENING 2 EVENTS ALSO STREAMED ON FACEBOOK.IT HAS BEEN LONG SAID THAT LIV GOLF NEEDED A BROADCAST TELEVISION DEAL, FOR REASONS OF EXPOSURE AND TO OPEN UP COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITIES. SO IS THIS THE START FOR LIV, AND SHOULD THE ESTABLISHMENT BE WORRIED?
I'LL ANSWER THE LAST QUESTION FIRST. NO, THE ESTABLISHMENT SHOULDN'T BE WORRIED, YET. THIS IS JUST THE SECOND SEASON OF LIV GOLF, AND THE LIKES OF THE ORIGINAL USFL MANAGED TO RUN FOR THREE SEASONS, AND THEY HAD A TV DEAL WITH ESPN. HOWEVER, IT ISN'T EXACTLY THE NEWS THE PGA TOUR WOULD HAVE WISHED FOR. THE CW, AS MENTIONED, IS PART OWNED BY PARAMOUNT GLOBAL, WHO OWN CBS. IF LIV GOLF IS A HIT ON THE CW, HOW LONG UNTIL CBS CONSIDER THIS TOO APPEALING TO KEEP IGNORING?
THE CW IS THE FIFTH NETWORK OF AMERICAN TELEVISION WITH 220 LOCAL AFFILIATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND IT HAS A LARGER VIEWERSHIP THAN HBO, FOX SPORTS 1, THE NFL NETWORK, AND CRUCIALLY, GOLF CHANNEL.
I WOULD IMAGINE FOR THE 2023 SEASON THE WORLDWIDE AUDIENCE WILL CONTINUE TO CONSUME LIV GOLF THROUGH LIVGOLF.COM, YOUTUBE AND DAZN IN SOME TERRITORIES, BUT THE SUCCESS OR OTHERWISE OF THE UPCOMING SEASON COULD SEE THE LEAGUE END UP BEING BROADCAST GLOBALLY BY A MAJOR STREAMING PLATFORM. AS PREVIOUSLY SAID, 2023 WILL BE THE LAST IN WHICH THE PGA TOUR WILL BE DISTRIBUTED GLOBALLY BY WARNER BROS DISCOVERY, AND THAT COULD OPEN THE DOOR TO BEING SHOWN ON DISCOVERY+ OUTSIDE THE US.
WARNER BROS DISCOVERY HAS SEVERAL SPORTING PROPERTIES INCLUDING EUROSPORT AND BT SPORT, AND A FREE-TO-AIR CHANNEL IN QUEST, AND ADDING A GOLF LEAGUE TO THEIR PORTFOLIO OF SPORTS RIGHTS COULD BE ATTRACTIVE, AND SOMETHING WHICH THEY COULD SHAPE AND MOULD. THEY COULD ALSO DEVELOP ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING AND CONTENT AROUND LIV GOLF'S LIVE BROADCASTS.
WE AWAIT CONFIRMATION OF THE CW DEAL, BUT WHEN IT COMES IT COULD BE ANOTHER MAJOR STEP TOWARDS GREG NORMAN'S VISION OF A WORLD TOUR BEING REALISED. CUE THE ESTABLISHMENT FAN BOYS BASHING THE CW, LIV GOLF AND ANYONE WHO DARES TO SPEAK POSITIVELY ABOUT LIV GOLF.
