As LIV Golf desperately seeks to secure funding for 2027 and beyond, its CEO, Scott O’Neil, has made yet another plea to potential investors.
The Saudi Public Investment Fund shockingly withdrew its support of the breakaway golf tour this year, leaving it without investment starting from next season. The league risks collapsing entirely if it cannot secure new funding.
O’Neil, on a recent media tour, told Sportico why investors should support the tour, claiming they are seeking up to $350 million to continue operating. Worryingly, one of these reasons was that LIV’s operating losses were so high that investment was an “unbelievable tax opportunity”. Enticing.
O’Neil’s statement will likely do little to encourage fans who hope is on the horizon, but it does make Bryson DeChambeau’s request look absolutely ridiculous.
Bryson DeChambeau’s $500 million request looks ridiculous
DeChambeau is LIV’s biggest star, but he’s out of contract at the end of this year. His contract negotiations with LIV have been intense, and he has a high asking price.
According to reports, DeChambeau was hoping to secure a $500 million contract from LIV Golf. Now it’s clear that this was totally unrealistic. O’Neil said the tour needs $350 million just to stay afloat, so adding another $500 million on top of that would have been the final nail in the tour’s coffin.
DeChambeau claims to be at the heart of pitching LIV’s future to investors as he presents a path forward for the tour, but he can’t be inspiring much confidence.
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He’s still out of contract, so how are investors supposed to feel comfortable committing to this product when DeChambeau himself won’t commit?
The two-time major winner also hasn’t said that he’ll put any of his own money into the project either, despite making hundreds of millions on the tour. So again, his pleas for others to reach into their pockets to fund DeChambeau’s golf must be ringing empty.
At this point, DeChambeau could well be a detriment to these negotiations rather than a positive.
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