Premier Golf League (MERGED)

Looks like PGA tour may have a Saudi Backed English based competitor.

The PGA tour has made strides with sponsor to appeal to younger audience. American Express / Waste management biz experience model comes to mind.

The audience is changing.

https://brobible.com/sports/article/phil-mickelson-premier-golf-league/?fbclid=IwAR1frdovjhQuiicA2sxUhDgIROGmRFm6NqHpl1uHXQAtgRkgI-Jk4zggKVE

I can't stand Mickelson anymore. He loses all his weight and starts posting stupid videos of his calves on Instagram and now this. Guys a tool.

saudi ..... yea Can’t comment any further and stay an active member

There's now a word for it, sportswashing.

In lacrosse right now, the #1 player in the world left the main league (MLL-Major League Lacrosse) and started his own league with some similarities to this golf one. His league is ironically called the PLL -Premier Lacrosse League. His goal is to compensate the players better and give them a piece of action. So far he's been able to attract most of the best players. An interesting twist is that there will be no home cities for the teams. They'll travel from city to city and play, similar to golf. They are thinking kids will likely follow an individual player vs a team. All players are encouraged to promote themselves.

Will be interesting to see how both go. The MLL, like the PGA is balking at it.

Everything you need to know about the league trying to challenge the PGA Tour Premier Lacrosse League - Wikipedia

Kid into eSports -> kid follows eSports team -> kid recognizes greatness in one particular team member -> kid buys jersey of their favorite -> kid idolizes individual over team

Gee...sounds just like PGA Tour.

For a long time we laugh at our elders for their grumpiness over how money ruins everything, but if this premier golf league happens, then they certainly have a strong case money has ruined golf. I will never watch this new league; as it is, I barely watch PGA Tour unless in those rare times something very compelling is happening and I am bored on a Sunday. I don't care if there is a putt for $5M, $10M, or $100M. The exhibition between Tiger and Phil last year is proof enough of how watching millionaires cash in and play golf is pretty boring stuff. I watch majors, and not even all of those - sorry PGA Championship, you are a money grab too. Give me Masters, US Open, and British Open with the long history and rich in tradition; where you have multi-major winners adding to their legacies and the occasional shock of how in the world did that guy win?! That's compelling enough for me. What more can you want? A tournament played on a pristine course, a tournament on a very tough track, and a tournament that combines variety of shotmaking skill and unpredictable weather. That's golf.

Good piece....My last bolded quote is where they could exploit "in game wagering" and technology for an "experience" (or product, to use the parlance of our times ; ) that, combined with some circus stuff/bells and whistles, could try to make golf hip and exciting for a new generation of fans.

"Inherent to every fledgling business is a mission statement. What is it providing that the current market is not, what antiquated notions or deficiencies will it correct? So far, the PGL hasn’t justified its (potential) existence; the marketing story seems to be, “We have money, so players will come.” But the response from in-their-prime stars has been lukewarm, at best, sources tell Golf Digest. Meanwhile, Brinks trucks have never served as a bellwether for bigger galleries.

In fairness, sources also tell Golf Digest the PGL wasn’t ready to go public just yet with its strategy, the group’s hand forced by Monahan’s Torrey Pines visit and reports that didn’t properly paint its story. The plan is also more developed than previous accounts suggest, Golf Digest is told. So what could the PGL offer that the PGA Tour does not?

The ABA and AFL—two of the more successful breakaway leagues in American sports—pitched offensive-friendly tempos and player autonomy, maintaining they would instill color in an increasingly bland product. For the PGL, does that mean taking on slow play, an issue that resonates with fans and a host of players but that the Tour has been hesitant to police? How about beefing up broadcast presentations, which the PGA Tour’s own broadcast partners have identified as needing improvement? Could it blow up how the game is scored? One former major winner relayed a 2019 conversation to Golf Digest about a PGL system where all strokes are not worth the same.We’d be remiss in forgetting the gambling element to golf. It’s worth noting one of the early partners is the Raine Group, which was integral in funding venture capital rounds for daily fantasy site DraftKings. It’s not a matter of if betting will be involved, an agent told Golf Digest, but to what extent, and how much of the cut will go in the players’ direction. Raine also has a history of facilitating media rights agreements, the Pac-12 Conference one of its more recent clients.

In short, this is an entity capable of creating legitimate subversions to the PGA Tour’s way of life."

Why a potential rival league could ultimately benefit the PGA Tour - Golf Digest

If the PGL is half as zany as the WHA, ABA, and the CFL’s US expansion, sign me up.

Th off-course product will be way more entertaining than the golf.

Maybe it'll be like a sleazy, Vegas, version of golf. Sleazy sells ; )

They could have like the golf equivalent of boxing "round girls" on each hole

Carts debate, resolved

VIP tent be like

Can you imagine gambling on golf and a cut going to players?! How soon after someone goes to prison?

Full contact golf ala RocknRollahttps://images.app.goo.gl/gQD356cY21m13rgs7

tables, ladders, and fairways

I could see it in the same model as the current XFL. They change the rules to make the game move faster and more viewer friendly. Whatever it is, if they are attracting big names, it's going to cost big money. So here comes high ticket prices and major sponsors. Are the edges rounded off to be beholden to big money? Like every other major sporting event?

I didn't know current golfers were unhappy? I'm guessing eventually they'll just attract lower level talent and still be able to show some really good golf, since those tiers don't offer enough money for pro's to survive.

Any thoughts on the new golf tour? I Personally like the sound of it, imagine watching 18 majors a year!

I thought this thing was dead? Prize money doesn’t make a major either...

I was thinking having the top golfers at each event!

It was covered "right good."

XFL still running too?

Imagine what it does to the other tours!

Seriously. How would World rankings work? Take the top 40 and what happens? In a few years, well more than a few-call it a dozen, they guys on the self perpetuating premier league are over 50 and still tops in the owgr. How does it continue? That’s just one issue. In reality the owgr would be wise, if talks got more serious than Norman spouting off, to just not recognize the new league and award no points. What pro would jeopardize his career and spot on tour and in majors?

Just asking, but how is it different than awarding owgr points between EPGAT and PGAT events, or Korn Ferry?

The owgr points are awarded based on the field. Look at the WGC events-or even the Hero Challenge. No cut and because of the quality of the field a player will get decent points no matter how he plays. Now take the top 40 or 48 whatever it is away from the regular tour field and give them away to PGL players. It would be almost impossible for a PGL player to do a Spieth and drop out of the top 50. That would keep them in majors and wgc events essentially in perpetuity.

ps I could be totally off base on that rationale but that would be my fear.

I wonder if strength of field is as an average or if it is additive. Are 150 players at an average of 5 more than 45 at an average of 15 for example? I don't know how that works and even after reading the how on the OWGR website I don't know other than to say that each tour's event has a point value, they are not the same but seem to fall in line with overall "talent" present on that tour and the points are divvied out based upon strength of field.

I guess to answer my own question it would be theoretically possible but unlikely.

"Limited Field Tournaments*

Limited field tournaments are defined as less than 30 qualified players. The Strength of Field for a limited field is calculated by using the World Rating only. Points are capped to 2.40 maximum points for last place or first round losers in match play events of less than 30 qualified players" http://www.owgr.com/about

Not sure how that plays into things. You would need a pretty deep pool of top players to ensure you always had the 30 qualified players minimum. Then it may get back to my first question, whether a larger field with lower ranked players can "over ride" a smaller field with higher ranked players. Smaller field you have to beat less players. If you were in the top 50 (for argument's sake) OWGR would you rather try to beat a field of 40 of the top players or a field of 144 of the top 200-250 players?

Without getting too specific I have it on good authority (guys I know and used to work with) that a certain former legend of the game has met with a prominent member of the royal family from an emirate of a middle eastern country. I don't want to get too specific right now because it would be obvious someone talked and this was to be kept hush hush. But might have some legs geared toward the PGL, if anyone has heard anything else doubtful but we shall see. It could obviously be for golf course design contracts etc but it is not often that members of a royal family come to you in middle America... especially if the name checks out.

Haha, Watson lives in Kansas.  Nicklaus was doing a course over there or starting one recently, but obviously in Florida (unless they met at Muirfield Village). So he's into something in Saudi unrelated to PGL at present that he's mentioned a few times the last few months.

Don't see either as any kind of influencer for PGL, though (strictly IMO).  I'm sure if Phil is for it, Tom is dead against it!!!!!

I’m thinking Rickie be prime for this.