As the war between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf rages this summer, the financial reporter in me has been considering the different business opportunities it could spawn. On more than one occasion, I have wondered how the father of sports marketing, the late IMG founder Mark McCormack, might have exploited some of those possibilities. And as I tried to channel his legendary creativity and knack for birthing athletic events that enthrall audiences and make millions of dollars, I hit on an idea that he might have appreciated: a Ryder Cup-style match that pits players from LIV against those from the tour.
Imagine, if you will, the nature of that battle and the numbers of people who would watch it, in person or on their televisions, computers and smartphones. Envision the chants from the stands encircling the first tee like a horseshoe as, say, Phil Mickelson gets ready to clash with Rory McIlroy, the folks in one section shouting. “P-G-A! P-G-A!” while those in another are hollering, “L-I-V! L-I-V!” Think of Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas preparing to take on Dustin Johnson and Sergio García, with team captains Tiger Woods and Greg Norman looking on. And consider all the 2-foot putts that would not be given under any circumstances – and the other bits of gamesmanship that no doubt would occur.
I realize, of course, that such a face-off is highly unlikely, given the current animus between the groups and the legal turmoil that has taken their mutual disdain to new levels and made any business interaction impossible for the time being. But I can still dream, and though the odds of this one coming true are about as long as a Bryson DeChambeau drive, the possibility of what actually could come to pass are too delicious not to contemplate.
LIV Series founders describe their product as “golf, only louder.” But the volume at this event likely would go all “Spinal Tap” at times, easily hitting 11.
Now, how would all this work?
Committees associated with both squads would be charged with selecting their players. And in keeping with the spirit of the affair, the picks would be based as much on the energy and edginess the individuals possess as on the current states of their games. A sort of perverted version of the PGA Tour’s Player Impact Program.
While the venues for the matches no doubt would change with each staging of those matches, I believe Bethpage Black would be the perfect site for the first meeting. The course challenges the best players in the world and has the space for the infrastructure such a massive happening would require. And the largely New York crowd would infuse the atmosphere with just the right amount of rowdiness, especially if the beer kegs in the concession stands are tapped at the start of play each morning.
If McCormack were in any way involved in this endeavor, he surely would secure a deep-pocketed title sponsor. But I do not think that is necessary with this competition. For one thing, the media-rights fees would generate more than enough revenue to satisfy my backers, as would the merchandising and corporate hospitality operations. And for another, I have a name in mind that would characterize this competition far better than any appellation that exists in the corporate world while also making an important statement. That would be the Khashoggi Cup, in honor of Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi journalist who was killed and then dismembered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, presumably at the behest of the same government funding the LIV endeavor.
As golf is a sport known for its support of people in need, there also should be a charitable component to these matches, with a sizable portion of the proceeds going to organizations that assist families affected by the terrorist attacks of 9/11.
Let the games begin!
Top: Bethpage Black, with its challenging layout and boisterous crowds, could be a logical location for a PGA Tour vs. LIV Golf team event.
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