LIV has signed! He’s got a contract with a TV company. What’s the reach?

No more speculation. Starting with the 2023 season, LIV Golf is awarded the first television contract in the history of the new professional golf tour. The anticipated deal with television company CW Network has come to fruition. It is to be a multi-year deal. LIV Golf should now reach up to 120 million households across the United States.

CEO Greg Norman can pop the champagne. LIV Golf has been in the running for a TV deal since the beginning. Viewers were able to watch the inaugural season via YouTube, but after the season was over, Norman said that the 2023 edition would also appear on TV stations.

“This is a momentous day for LIV Golf because this partnership is more than just media rights. The CW will provide access for our fans and maximum exposure for our athletes and partners. The television reach includes more than 120 million households across the United States,” Greg Norman hailed the partnership on LIV’s official website.

With the new agreement, LIV now reaches more U.S. households than ESPN. Curiously, CBS, one of the PGA Tour’s major television partners, owns a 12.5 percent stake in the network. The CW’s name is derived from the two founding co-owners (CBS and Warner). Yet CBS itself has strictly rejected a competing golf venture.

“We are very proud that the league, which has only been in existence for one year, has secured a full broadcast deal in its debut full league season. The CW is a world-class media partner and we are honored to join forces to further bring LIV Golf to life,” added Norman.

Many experts have argued for months that a television deal could be absolutely crucial if LIV Golf is to establish itself in the US market. LIV has also been criticized for funding from Saudi public sources. A contract with a reputable TV company could also partially cleanse its tarnished reputation.

According to available information, the opening Friday round will only ever be broadcast via The CW app. Friday and Saturday’s programs will also already run on television in full footage. The app is available for free in the US on many devices such as Google TV, Apple TV, Xbox and other smart devices.

However, according to the latest information, LIV Golf will no longer be available on YouTube, where it spent its first test year. The deal is expected to be in place for at least three years.

“Our new multi-year partnership with The CW will unlock our ability to serve both core golf fans and can reach casual sports and entertainment viewers as part of our mission to grow the sport,” LIV Golf media director Will Staeger said of the deal.

LIV Golf will continue to produce the broadcasts with its in-house team and will retain its format from the 2022 season. This includes a live leaderboard with clear graphics, enhanced drone coverage, stats-based graphics and fast-paced coverage with nearly twice as many golf strokes per hour as is customary for regular golf broadcasts.

The only criticism LIV currently endures is that the CW Network is not a classic station for such coverage, as it has never broadcast the sport in the past. The CW works primarily for younger audiences and is full of sitcoms and other TV shows.

Source.