Fox Sports signs multi-year rights deal to telecast LIV Golf global schedule

In a massive boost for LIV Golf, the Saudi Arabian fund PIF-backed series announced it had signed a multi-year deal with Fox Sport for live coverage of its 14-tournament schedule starting with the opening event in early February at Riyadh.

While talk of this coming together has been in circulation for a while now, a statement from LIV Golf on January 16 confirmed the development with Fox Sports scheduled to carry live action of events in the USA, Asia, Australia, Europe and Latin America on all its platforms to viewers throughout the US.

The announcements coincides with the start of LIV Golf’s third official League season. All three days of LIV Golf tournament competition will air live across the Fox family of networks, with more than half of the League’s schedule airing on Fox or FS1. Select rounds will air on FS2, Fox Business Network and the Fox Sports App, with nearly all of the LIV Golf season’s 210 hours of competition carried live across Fox Sports platforms besides being streamed on the Fox Sports App and to LIV Golf+ app subscribers.

“We are thrilled to partner with Fox Sports, one of the preeminent broadcast networks in the world,” said LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil, who has just replaced founding chief executive and Commissioner Greg Norman, in a statement.

“LIV Golf is getting bigger and bolder, and this relationship signals the next phase of growth as our League joins the company of the nation’s premier sports leagues and conferences. I want to thank the FOX Sports team, who share our vision for the future of golf, a new model that is redefining how the sport is experienced. LIV Golf is drawing a younger, more active and tech-savvy fan base, and as our players and teams prepare for LIV Golf’s biggest season yet, this agreement will take our broadcast to new heights,” Norman said. 

Fox Sports executive vice president Jordan Bazant said, “Fox Sports is excited to broadcast the LIV Golf League, showcasing athletes at the top of their game competing at an elite level for viewers across the nation. The addition of LIV Golf is a natural fit for Fox Sports’ prominent slate of big events, world-class names and premium sports coverage.”

"Having Fox Sports on board is a huge win for LIV Golf,” said Smash GC captain Brooks Koepka. “They know how to bring sports to life, and I’m pumped to see how they showcase what makes our game so unique. It’s awesome to have a partner that shares our vision, and I think the fans are going to love what’s coming."

“This partnership is a huge step forward for LIV Golf and our fans as it will help bring our tournaments to a broader audience,” the LIV statement quoted Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm as saying. “Fox Sports has a reputation for delivering world-class sports coverage and I’m confident they will elevate the experience for everyone watching. I believe FOX Sports shares our commitment to pushing boundaries and innovating, and I can’t wait to see how this collaboration connects more fans to our sport.”

“LIV Golf broadcasts will continue to be produced with its in-house team, maintaining its distinctive live leaderboard, enhanced drone coverage, statistics-driven graphics, and fast-paced coverage featuring nearly twice as many golf shots per hour than traditional golf coverage,” the statement said.

The LIV on-air announce team will see its acclaimed on-air talent squad return with Arlo White leading play-by-play alongside analysts David Feherty and Jerry Foltz in the booth, while Dom Boulet and Su-Ann Heng will be providing coverage on the course. Pre- and post-round programmes will be featured live on Fox Sports’ platforms or otherwise on the LIV Golf+ app.

On January 15, Scott O’Neil was named LIV’s new CEO with immediate effect. O’Neil will drive the strategic vision, business operations, and global growth for the league, its 13 teams and roster of world-class golfers, and its efforts to drive positive impact. Greg Norman, who has been instrumental to the launch of LIV Golf as its first CEO and Commissioner, will hand off day-to-day management, but will remain involved with LIV Golf, a separate statement said.

“On behalf of the Board of Directors, we welcome Scott to the LIV Golf family, knowing he will capitalise on everything that has been accomplished over the past three years,” said LIV Golf Board Chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan. “Scott has the passion, the tenacity, and the vision to continue leveraging LIV Golf’s position as a pre-eminent, global sports and entertainment company and to lead our amazing teams and players for years to come. When we launched LIV Golf, there was no one that made more sense to lead the organisation other than Greg Norman. I thank him for everything he has done to establish, launch and grow our league. He has been instrumental to LIV’s success,” Rumayyan added.

O’Neil said, “LIV Golf is the world’s first global golf league and, with the best teams and players competing around the world, it represents sports entertainment at the highest level. What LIV Golf has achieved in just three years is remarkable – the game has been infused with a long overdue bolt of energy and innovation with the team model, players have increased freedom and rights, fans are getting the access they have always wanted, and the game has been brought to new markets that have been desperate for elite golf for decades."

There has never been a better time to unlock real financial investment, bring team golf and innovation to the forefront, drastically lower the fan age demographic, and put fan experience and fun at the centre of everything we do. LIV Golf represents the future of the sport and will ensure the future of the golf ecosystem for years to come, O’Neil added.

Prior to being named CEO of LIV Golf, O’Neil served as CEO of Merlin Entertainments, responsible for overseeing the business operations and global growth across its 140+ attractions in 23 countries. Before Merlin, O’Neil served as CEO for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE), a portfolio of professional sports, entertainment, and investment properties, where he oversaw more than $2 billion of growth in enterprise value centred on bringing innovation to the industry.