Things are not the same anymore for the US LIV Golf League after the entry of the Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) along the line. LIV Golf was turned down by a major broadcaster, which led to a severe dilemma for the series.
According to The Wall Street Journal, LIV has been denied broadcasting rights by major broadcasting giants. CBS, NBC, and ESPN have already pledged their loyalty to the PGA Tour. Apple TV was one of the major broadcasters LIV was counting on.
However, recently, as per the sources, Apple TV has also denied LIV the opportunity to be broadcasted on its platform. The streaming service termed the Saudi funded series as “too toxic” for them to broadcast it on their platform.
MBS’ Whitewash Policy
48 players have signed up for the rebel golf league backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, seeking for $250 million in prize money at the event. 16 of them are ranked among the top 100 players in the world.
Human rights organisations have long accused Saudi Arabia of using sport to whitewash its poor human rights record.
USA Today newspaper has earlier charged the participant players for destroying their reputations as they sportswash for MBS.
The newspaper further called for stigmatizing and penalizing LIV golfers for taking money from a repressive regime led by MBS.
MBS has spent at least $1.5bn on high-profile international sporting events in a bid to bolster its reputation, a Grant Liberty report revealed in 2021.
Human Rights Watch also said public spectacles and sporting events
are part of “the Saudi government’s well-funded efforts to whitewash its image despite a significant increase in repression over the last few years.”
Golfer turns down offer $700 million to play in MBS-funded LIV
World’s most popular golfer Tiger Woods rejected an offer of around $700-$800 million to join the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series, CEO Greg Norman said.
Woods has been opposed to LIV Golf since late last year, and he delivered his strongest comments at the British Open when he said players who took the money funded by the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund had “turned their back” on the PGA Tour that made them famous.
The Financial Times also stressed that Saudi Arabia’s $2bn swing at golf shakes up the global game.
Activists have also commented on MBS’ failed attempts to sportwash his human rights violations at home and abroad, despite spending billions of dollars in international sporting events.
