A new report from Sports Front Office– and in conjunction with comments from LIV CEO Scott O’Neil – is suggesting the league’s immediate future is far from certain.
We have known for several weeks LIV appears to be on thin ice given that the Saudi Public Investment Fund has announced that it will no longer fund the league beyond this year. O’Neil has stated that he is seeking outside investment to keep the district operating until 2027.
Most agree that LIV will not look like it has moved on at all, if it exists at all.
However, the rest of this season is now called into question.
Has LIV already played its last tour?
LIV wrapped up an event in Spain last week, but is now on a six-week summer break due to financial complications with the previously scheduled New Orleans tour that was supposed to take place during that time.
There are four tournaments left on the LIV schedule, starting with LIV United Kingdom on July 23.
It is not known if that event and the other three will be played.
“There is a growing feeling among those in and around LIV that funding from the Saudi PIF could dry up even earlier than expected,” multiple sources told FOS.
“Every tournament left is on the fence,” said a high-ranking executive at one of LIV’s major league-level partners.
The general feeling around LIV is that PIF can pull the plug whenever they want. After initial indications that the PIF would support the league through the rest of its 2026 events, that now looks much less certain.
“I really don’t think anyone knows,” the source told the FOS. “LIV Golf does not know if or when PIF will close the shaft.”
Meanwhile, O’Neil didn’t give much confidence when asked if he could guarantee that LIV would play in the final four tournaments.
“What I can guarantee is a good return if you come to invest in this business,” he told CNBC.
While O’Neil was complimentary of the PIF and goes on to say the league is “full steam ahead” in terms of securing investment, there is a complete lack of certainty here.
The fact that he couldn’t even guarantee that the final games would be played is hard to deal with. Given this long break before the UK event, it is entirely possible that PIF will use this break in action to remove its support from what could be a dying enterprise.
Taking Sean
Your guess is as good as mine here.
My prediction is that LIV limps its way into the last four events and finds a way to continue as a shell of itself heading into 2027.
I just highly doubt that LIV can gain enough corporate support to make it a relevant league.
LIV could not become profitable with a $6 billion infusion. O’Neil initially said it would take another 10 years to break even and that was when the PIF was supporting the league indefinitely.
Now LIV is looking for outside investment in the $250 million range and profitability within two years, which signals a massive reduction in wallets and operating expenses.
Even if that investment comes through, LIV will probably be a shell of itself going forward.
And if this investment does not come? LIV may not be around at all.
What do you think will happen? Let me know in the comments.
