10 AUGUST, 2022 - SHANK MEDIA, BY MATT HOOPER: IN THE LATEST OF SEVERAL MOMENTOUS MOMENTS IN THE STRUGGLE FOR THE FUTURE OF GOLF THE PGA TOUR HAS SUCCEEDED IN DENYING ENTRY TO THE FEDEX CUP PLAYOFFS TO TALOR GOOCH, MATT JONES AND HUDSON SWAFFORD AFTER A HEARING AT A CALIFORNIA COURT. THE TRIO ARE PART OF A WIDER 10-PLAYER ANTITRUST LAWSUIT AGAINST THE PGA TOUR, BUT WERE SEPARATELY SEEKING A TEMPORARY INJUNCTION TO SECURE THEIR PLACE IN THE FEDEX CUP PLAYOFFS, WHICH BEGIN ON THURSDAY IN MEMPHIS.
AFTER A NEAR 2-HOUR HEARING WITH EVIDENCE GIVEN BY BOTH THE PGA TOUR LAWYER AND THE LAWYER FOR THE PLAINTIFFS, THE JUDGE DECIDED THAT the plaintiffs did not prove "irreparable harm" because they have ample playing opportunities with LIV and their upfront LIV money factored in the possibility they wouldn't be able to play in the FedEx Cup (and major championships) - SOURCE: ALAN SHIPNUCK/FIREPIT COLLECTIVE
THE DECISION UPHOLDS THE PGA TOUR'S DECISION TO SUSPEND LIV GOLFERS FROM THIS YEAR'S PGA TOUR FEDEX CUP PLAYOFFS, BUT THE TOUR DID NOT ESCAPE SEVERE CRITICISM DURING THE HEARING, AND FOR A LONG TIME IT SEEMED INEVITABLE THAT THEY WOULD LOSE THE CASE. "....Judge is scolding the defense attorney for his broad interpretation of the Tour Commissioner's power to unilaterally suspend. Feels like the TRO may hinge on this. The judge just said the Tour's regulations "fall apart" under scrutiny" SOURCE: ALAN SHIPNUCK/FIREPIT COLLECTIVE
THE UNDENIABLE FACT IS THAT THE WIDER ANTITRUST LAWSUIT WILL GO OVER THE PGA TOUR'S REGULATIONS IN FINE DETAIL, AND THEY WILL CLEARLY ADDRESS THE FACT THAT THE PGA TOUR GAVE RELEASES TO PLAYERS TO PLAY IN THE SAUDI INTERNATIONAL, AND THAT SEVERAL PGA TOUR MEMBERS ARE SPONSORED BY GOLF SAUDI, AND THAT PGA TOUR MEMBERS ARE ABLE TO PLAY ON OTHER TOURS. THERE IS ALSO NO DOUBT THAT PHIL MICKELSON'S LIFE MEMBERSHIP OF THE TOUR WILL BE COVERED, BECAUSE HE DOES NOT HAVE TO MEET THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF 15 EVENTS TO KEEP HIS MEMBERSHIP, SO IN ESSENCE HE CAN PICK AND CHOOSE THE EVENTS OUTSIDE THE PLAYOFFS HE WISHES TO PLAY.
WITH THE WIDER ANTITRUST LAWSUIT SET TO BE HEARD AROUND SEPTEMBER 2023 IT PUTS IT UP AGAINST, POTENTIALLY, WITH THE RYDER CUP IN ROME. THE RYDER CUP ITSELF COULD BE THE SUBJECT OF LEGAL ACTION FROM THE LIKES OF LEE WESTWOOD, IAN POULTER, SERGIO GARCIA, MARTIN KAYMER AND HENRIK STENSON, IF THE DP WORLD TOUR DETERMINE THAT THEY ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO PLAY IN TOUR EVENTS DURING QUALIFICATION FOR THE EUROPEAN TEAM.
LIV GOLF ISSUED THE FOLLOWING SHORT STATEMENT FOLLOWING THE RULING: "We’re disappointed that Talor Gooch, Hudson Swafford and Matt Jones won’t be allowed to play golf. No one gains by banning golfers from playing.”LAST WEEK I WROTE ABOUT HOW GOLF WAS GOING 'FULL WORLD SERIES CRICKET', WELL NOW IT IS MORE 'SUPER LEAGUE WARS', WITH THE PGA TOUR WINNING THIS INITIAL CASE, JUST AS THE ARL DID AGAINST SUPER LEAGUE IN AUSTRALIA IN 1996. THE SUPER LEAGUE WAR, AT IT HAS BECOME KNOWN, WAS A PERIOD OF TIME IN AUSTRALIA WHEN THE PLAYERS WERE LOOKING FOR BETTER PAY AND CONDITIONS FOR PLAYING THE SPORT OF RUGBY LEAGUE, AND IT COINCIDED WITH THE LAUNCH OF FOX SPORTS IN THE COUNTRY, WHICH WAS OWNED BY RUPERT MURDOCH.
THE AUSTRALIAN RUGBY LEAGUE WAS TELEVISED BY NINE NETWORK, WHICH WAS RUN BY KERRY PACKER, WE WILL HEAR MORE OF HIM LATER IN THIS FEATURE. THE ENSUING BATTLE FOR THE FUTURE OF RUGBY LEAGUE IN AUSTRALIA WAS A HEAD-TO-HEAD BETWEEN TWO OF THE BIGGEST MEDIA MOGULS IN THE WORLD, AND A CLASH OF TRADITIONALISTS AND PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO MODERNISE THE GAME.
THE FACT THAT KERRY PACKER WAS SEEN AS A TRADITIONALIST IS SOMEWHAT CONTROVERSIAL AND PUZZLING, GIVING HIS INVOLVEMENT IN RESHAPING ANOTHER MAJOR SPORT (CRICKET) IN AUSTRALIA. FOX SPORTS WAS LAUNCHED IN 1995 as the only fully operational local channel at the launch of Australia's first pay-television service, Galaxy.
EARLY RIGHTS ACQUIRED BY FOX SPORTS INCLUDED SUPER RUGBY, THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE RUGBY UNION COMPETITION, AND THE NATIONAL BASKETBALL LEAGUE. BUT RUGBY LEAGUE WAS A HUGE RATINGS SUCCESS IN AUSTRALIA AND MURDOCH SAW AN OPPORTUNITY. THEY WANTED TO DEVELOP A SUPER LEAGUE WITH THE AUSTRALIAN RUGBY LEAGUE CLUBS, BUT THEY WANTED CONTROL OF HOW THE SPORT WAS RUN.
THE PROPOSAL WAS:
*12 fully professional teams
*Existing 20 clubs to remain, fielding teams in First Division competitions in NSW, QLD, ACT
*News CORPORATION being shareholders in the 12 Super League teams
*The ARL continuing as the governing body for rugby league, and retaining responsibility for Test matches
*News CORPORATION being responsible for promoting rugby league nationally and internationally, and providing finance.
THE AUSTRALIAN RUGBY LEAGUE WAS TELEVISED BY NINE NETWORK, WHICH WAS RUN BY KERRY PACKER, WE WILL HEAR MORE OF HIM LATER IN THIS FEATURE. THE ENSUING BATTLE FOR THE FUTURE OF RUGBY LEAGUE IN AUSTRALIA WAS A HEAD-TO-HEAD BETWEEN TWO OF THE BIGGEST MEDIA MOGULS IN THE WORLD, AND A CLASH OF TRADITIONALISTS AND PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO MODERNISE THE GAME.
THE FACT THAT KERRY PACKER WAS SEEN AS A TRADITIONALIST IS SOMEWHAT CONTROVERSIAL AND PUZZLING, GIVING HIS INVOLVEMENT IN RESHAPING ANOTHER MAJOR SPORT (CRICKET) IN AUSTRALIA. FOX SPORTS WAS LAUNCHED IN 1995 as the only fully operational local channel at the launch of Australia's first pay-television service, Galaxy.
EARLY RIGHTS ACQUIRED BY FOX SPORTS INCLUDED SUPER RUGBY, THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE RUGBY UNION COMPETITION, AND THE NATIONAL BASKETBALL LEAGUE. BUT RUGBY LEAGUE WAS A HUGE RATINGS SUCCESS IN AUSTRALIA AND MURDOCH SAW AN OPPORTUNITY. THEY WANTED TO DEVELOP A SUPER LEAGUE WITH THE AUSTRALIAN RUGBY LEAGUE CLUBS, BUT THEY WANTED CONTROL OF HOW THE SPORT WAS RUN.
THE PROPOSAL WAS:
*12 fully professional teams
*Existing 20 clubs to remain, fielding teams in First Division competitions in NSW, QLD, ACT
*News CORPORATION being shareholders in the 12 Super League teams
*The ARL continuing as the governing body for rugby league, and retaining responsibility for Test matches
*News CORPORATION being responsible for promoting rugby league nationally and internationally, and providing finance.
SOME ARL CLUBS ACCEPTED THESE PROPOSALS, OTHERS REJECTED THEM AND THE AUSTRALIAN RUGBY LEAGUE COMMISSION, WITH THE EXISTING MEDIA BEHIND THEM, ALSO REJECTED THEM. WAR BEGAN.
AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE ABOVE VIDEO PASSIONS WERE HIGH, THE OPPOSITION TO THE SUPER LEAGUE FROM THE ESTABLISHMENT WAS SEVERE, AND THE TONE WAS HARSH.
ONCE AGAIN IT WAS ALLEGED THE PROPOSAL WAS ALL ABOUT MONEY AND THE ESTABLISHMENT REJECTED THE NOTION THEY SHOULD DO ANYTHING MORE FOR THE PLAYERS, OR THAT THE GAME COULD BE RUN BETTER BY SOMEONE ELSE.
ONCE AGAIN IT WAS ALLEGED THE PROPOSAL WAS ALL ABOUT MONEY AND THE ESTABLISHMENT REJECTED THE NOTION THEY SHOULD DO ANYTHING MORE FOR THE PLAYERS, OR THAT THE GAME COULD BE RUN BETTER BY SOMEONE ELSE.
RUGBY LEAGUE IS ONE OF, IF NOT THE BIGGEST SPORT IN AUSTRALIA AND THE SUPER LEAGUE WAR WAS COVERED ALMOST RELIGIOUSLY IN THE MEDIA. MUCH OF THE AUSTRALIAN MEDIA WERE OPPOSED TO THE NEW PLAN, CHIEFLY DUE TO THE FACT A RIVAL BROADCASTER WAS BEHIND THE NEW SUPER LEAGUE.
EVENTUALLY NINE NETWORK ACTUALLY SIGNED A DEAL TO SHOW SUPER LEAGUE GAMES FREE TO AIR AND KERRY PACKER AND RUPER MURDOCH MET TO RESOLVE THEIR DIFFERENCES. THE SUPER LEAGUE WENT AHEAD IN 1997 AS WELL AS THE ARL. OVER 300 PLAYERS, 10 COACHES AND 8 CLUBS LEFT THE ARL TO PLAY IN THE SUPER LEAGUE ALONGSIDE 2 NEW TEAMS.
EVENTUALLY NINE NETWORK ACTUALLY SIGNED A DEAL TO SHOW SUPER LEAGUE GAMES FREE TO AIR AND KERRY PACKER AND RUPER MURDOCH MET TO RESOLVE THEIR DIFFERENCES. THE SUPER LEAGUE WENT AHEAD IN 1997 AS WELL AS THE ARL. OVER 300 PLAYERS, 10 COACHES AND 8 CLUBS LEFT THE ARL TO PLAY IN THE SUPER LEAGUE ALONGSIDE 2 NEW TEAMS.
THE SUPER LEAGUE KICKED OFF IN 1997 AND THE ARL CONTINUED. IT WOULD BE THE SOLE SEASON OF THE SUPER LEAGUE, DESPITE ITS ENORMOUS SUCCESS, AS THE TWO PARTIES CAME TOGETHER IN 1998 TO FORM THE NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE NRL.
THE 1997 SUPER LEAGUE FEATURED 10 teams and The top five teams then played a series of knock-out finals which culminated in a September grand final played in Brisbane between the Brisbane Broncos and the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.
THE CROWDS FLOCKED TO THE 96 GAMES PLAYED THROUGHOUT THE SEASON WITH AN AVERAGE OF OVER 13,000 AT EACH GAME INCLUDING NEARLY 60,000 AT THE GRAND FINAL. IN CONTRAST THE AVERAGE ATTENDANCE AT ARL GAMES IN 1997 WAS JUST OVER 10,000 WITH 42,000 AT THE ARL GRAND FINAL.
THE LEGACY OF THE SUPER LEAGUE INCLUDED INCREASING THE POPULARITY OF THE SPORT - WITH A RECORD 109,000 PEOPLE ATTENDING THE 1999 NRL GRAND FINAL AT STADIUM AUSTRALIA IN SYDNEY; OTHER ELEMENTS OF THE LEGACY OF SUPER LEAGUE INCLUDED NIGHT GRAND FINALS, WHICH SAW A VAST INCREASE IN TV RATINGS; VIDEO REFEREES WERE USED BY SUPER LEAGUE IN 1997 AND HAVE BEEN USED IN EVERY NRL SEASON SINCE; MULTIPLE RULE CHANGES WITHIN THE GAME WERE ADOPTED BY SUPER LEAGUE WHICH ARE STILL IN USE TODAY.
BUT PERHAPS THE BIGGEST LEGACY OF SUPER LEAGUE IS THE PROFESSIONALISATION OF THE SPORT, SEEING PLAYERS MAKE MORE MONEY AND BE TREATED LIKE ATHLETES AND NOT SERVANTS. SUPER LEAGUE ALSO FORCED A CHANGE IN GOVERNANCE OF THE SPORT IN AUSTRALIA. THE NRL WAS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE ARL AND NEWS CORPORATION, WHICH DISSOLVED IN 2012 AND THE AUSTRALIAN RUGBY LEAGUE COMMISSION WAS Re-structured with an independent board of directors.
FOX AND NINE NETWORK NOW SHARE COVERAGE OF THE NRL, WITH EVERY MATCH DURING THE SEASON SHOWN LIVE. THE GRAND FINAL IS TELEVISED EXCLUSIVELY BY NINE NETWORK.
THE 1997 SUPER LEAGUE FEATURED 10 teams and The top five teams then played a series of knock-out finals which culminated in a September grand final played in Brisbane between the Brisbane Broncos and the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.
THE CROWDS FLOCKED TO THE 96 GAMES PLAYED THROUGHOUT THE SEASON WITH AN AVERAGE OF OVER 13,000 AT EACH GAME INCLUDING NEARLY 60,000 AT THE GRAND FINAL. IN CONTRAST THE AVERAGE ATTENDANCE AT ARL GAMES IN 1997 WAS JUST OVER 10,000 WITH 42,000 AT THE ARL GRAND FINAL.
THE LEGACY OF THE SUPER LEAGUE INCLUDED INCREASING THE POPULARITY OF THE SPORT - WITH A RECORD 109,000 PEOPLE ATTENDING THE 1999 NRL GRAND FINAL AT STADIUM AUSTRALIA IN SYDNEY; OTHER ELEMENTS OF THE LEGACY OF SUPER LEAGUE INCLUDED NIGHT GRAND FINALS, WHICH SAW A VAST INCREASE IN TV RATINGS; VIDEO REFEREES WERE USED BY SUPER LEAGUE IN 1997 AND HAVE BEEN USED IN EVERY NRL SEASON SINCE; MULTIPLE RULE CHANGES WITHIN THE GAME WERE ADOPTED BY SUPER LEAGUE WHICH ARE STILL IN USE TODAY.
BUT PERHAPS THE BIGGEST LEGACY OF SUPER LEAGUE IS THE PROFESSIONALISATION OF THE SPORT, SEEING PLAYERS MAKE MORE MONEY AND BE TREATED LIKE ATHLETES AND NOT SERVANTS. SUPER LEAGUE ALSO FORCED A CHANGE IN GOVERNANCE OF THE SPORT IN AUSTRALIA. THE NRL WAS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE ARL AND NEWS CORPORATION, WHICH DISSOLVED IN 2012 AND THE AUSTRALIAN RUGBY LEAGUE COMMISSION WAS Re-structured with an independent board of directors.
FOX AND NINE NETWORK NOW SHARE COVERAGE OF THE NRL, WITH EVERY MATCH DURING THE SEASON SHOWN LIVE. THE GRAND FINAL IS TELEVISED EXCLUSIVELY BY NINE NETWORK.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
FOLLOWING THE TELEGRAPH REPORTING THAT CAMERON SMITH HAS SIGNED FOR LIV GOLF AND HIS PRESS CONFERENCE LAST NIGHT I BELIEVE THAT SMITH WILL COMPLETE THE PGA TOUR FEDEX CUP PLAYOFFS, PLAY IN THE PRESIDENTS CUP AND THEN BE ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2O23 LAUNCH OF THE LIV GOLF LEAGUE. SMITH JOINING LIV WILL, IN MY OPINION SEE THE LIKES OF MARC LEISHMAN, ADAM SCOTT AND JASON DAY FOLLOW THEIR COUNTRYMAN TO THE LEAGUE, FORMING THE MUCH TALKED ABOUT AUSTRALIAN 'SUPER TEAM' FOR THE 2023 SEASON.
I ALSO BELIEVE THAT WITH THE WORLD NUMBER 2, PLAYERS CHAMPION AND OPEN CHAMPION JOINING LIV IT WILL HELP TO SECURE THE SIGNATURE OF HIDEKI MATSUYAMA TO LEAD AN ALL JAPANESE TEAM, WITH LIV SURELY LOOKING AT STAGING AN EVENT IN JAPAN. FOLLOWING THE INJUNCTION ALLOWING 4 LIV GOLF MEMBERS TO PLAY IN THE GENESIS SCOTTISH OPEN, AND THE REFUSAL TO ALLOW 3 LIV GOLF MEMBERS TO PLAY IN THE PGA TOUR FEDEX CUP PLAYOFFS, ANOTHER LEGAL DISPUTE IS SURELY COMING WITH THE AUSTRALIAN PGA CHAMPIONSHIP AND AUSTRALIAN OPEN LAUNCHING THE 2022-23 DP WORLD TOUR SEASON.
JEDIAH MORGAN WON THE 2021 FORTINET AUSTRALIAN PGA CHAMPIONSHIP BY 11 SHOTS, AND IS THE PGA TOUR OF AUSTRALASIA ORDER OF MERIT CHAMPION, AND MATT JONES IS A 2-TIME CHAMPION OF THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN, AND THE DEFENDING CHAMPION, HAVING WON THE MOST RECENT EDITION OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2019 PRIOR TO THE COVID19 PANDEMIC. CLEARLY BOTH, WHO ARE MEMBERS OF LIV GOLF IN 2022, WILL SEEK TO DEFEND THEIR TITLES, AND THEY HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO DO SO, BUT IT WILL SURELY LEAD TO FRICTION WITH THE DP WORLD TOUR OR EVEN THE PGA TOUR OF AUSTRALASIA.
WHATEVER FRICTION, DEBATE AND CONTROVERSY LIES AHEAD I BELIEVE THAT THE LIV GOLF LEAGUE WILL GO AHEAD IN 2023, WITH EVENTS ALL OVER THE WORLD, AND LIV WILL CONTINUE THEIR INVESTMENT IN THE ASIAN TOUR AND EXPAND THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES, GIVING LIV GOLF MEMBERS A VIABLE PLATFORM TO COMPETE FOR OWGR POINTS OUTSIDE THE LIV GOLF LEAGUE. THE 'DEFECTIONS' WILL CONTINUE OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS, AND I ANTICIPATE A LARGE NUMBER OF THE WORLD'S BEST WILL COMPETE IN THE QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT FOR THE 2024 LIV GOLF LEAGUE. ANYONE WHO THOUGHT AND HOPED THE DECISION BY THE JUDGE IN CALIFORNIA WAS THE END OF LIV GOLF NEEDS TO THINK AGAIN.
