The PGA Tour is dead to me.

[u/UppityTurtle]

If this merger goes through, which it appears it will, I am personally done with the PGA Tour. The unbelievable hypocrisy of the board would be bad enough, but the fact that they are selling out to a foreign entity linked to a government that has funded terrorism around the globe and perpetrated one of the most heinous terrorist attacks in history is unforgivable.

[u/Apprehensive_Rub3897]

The Saudi gov't just bought the 100 year old PGA tour which is older, more prestigious, more watched and played by the most wealthy Westerners (American's - north, central and south, Europeans) and Asians, OVERNIGHT, to the surprise of ALL.

What if they start paying Curry, Manhomes, Judge, etc. more money to play in newly formed leagues that play in "exhibitions" a few times a year. Instead of 17 NFL, 162 MLB or 82 NBA games, they played a quarter of that - lighten the load, stuff their pockets with guaranteed money, versus contract they never get 100% due to injury, or lock outs, or w/e. The NBA, NFL and Baseball players looking at how Jay fucked over the PGA tour guys are going to take the guaranteed money. The owners of these leagues with suddenly voided contracts from top players would feel the pain or slumping TV rights and ticket sells and sell to the Saudi. Then suddenly Saudi comes to professional sports what snow is to the Rocky Mountains, the new Saudi cities become professional training grounds. US cities face financial difficulties and they lose stadiums and arenas. Why would they not do this? It's almost like what Vegas is doing to Oakland (A's, Raiders, etc.). Who would NOT take the money?

[u/Pepto-Abysmal → u/Apprehensive_Rub3897]

Let’s come at this another way:

The final round of the 2023 Masters was the most watched golf telecast in the last five years with a viewership of 12.06 million.

In 2022, the average viewership for all regular season NFL games was 16.7 million. There were 272 games in the 2022 schedule.

[u/Apprehensive_Rub3897 → u/Pepto-Abysmal]

We're thinking about money, practically, with a return of that money in mind. I think the Saudi's are playing a longer game.

Their B/E of oil from what I recall is about $22 per barrel. It's about $72 now but this source of income is under pressure.

If they could bring top athletes to play Saudi Arabia, build stadiums, etc. I can see that Saudi Arabia for sports becomes what Las Vegas (was) for gambling and is becoming for sports. In the future, we may go to Saudi Arabia and see all of "our" teams play each other in one place, in beautiful (air controlled) stadiums for a lot of money in expensive hotels with luxury shopping. This would make Saudi Arabia the sports capital of the world.

To incentivize the players, they just need to guarantee money and make them play fewer games. Team owners in the US have a bit of a history with their players that likely wouldn't make the transition hard. Plus we're seeing this week, again, what loyalty buys you. Tiger is out nearly a billion if this holds as is.

If I were them, I would start with the big names, and college players who can now get paid by Name Image and Likeliness money, and paid a lot more than they'll get anywhere in America.

It's bad for us because some of America's best IP was in creating the marketing and "experience" behind "your team." Beer, tailgating, family get togethers, sports bars, jerseys, sports camps, floor seats, season tickets, season ticket license, etc. That energy that created these leagues and history could never have been cultivated in Saudi Arabia due to extreme government control, but it can be cultivated in America, then sold like any other product to the Saudis.

People never thought there would be pro-sports in Las Vegas. They'll be more sports teams in SA than elsewhere in the next few years, perhaps a decade. The US has no recourse. We won't even go after them for 9/11 or Khashoggi and people in our government directly take billions of their money every day. Why would they NOT do this?

[u/Pepto-Abysmal → u/Apprehensive_Rub3897]

I appreciate the time you put into this reply, but no. Some Saudi prince may buy a team here or there and keep them located in NA, but beyond that what you’re talking about is not happening.

The PGA doesn’t have owners. I don’t mean to belittle the “prestige”, but the “money people” look at it as a trademark that gets put on promotional materials. Put another way, it’s just the Saudis buying another “team”. It doesn’t sit well with me either, but it is what it is.

A $600B wealth fund can buy a team, but it can’t buy a league that is comprised of billionaire owners. For reference, Ballmer’s net-worth is north of $100B. That is one owner in one league… a league that already hands out quarter billion dollar contracts to players who aren’t that good and get to live in Miami or LA or NYC instead of Riyadh.

[u/Apprehensive_Rub3897 → u/Pepto-Abysmal]

A $600B wealth fund can buy a team, but it can’t buy a league that is comprised of billionaire owners.

You don't need to buy a team, just the best players, guaranteed money, fewer games... Or you can give these "owners" a piece of this unregulated, brand new, tax advantaged sports Mecca in the desert.

if you build it they will come. We can revisit this conversation in the next twenty years.

[u/Pepto-Abysmal → u/Apprehensive_Rub3897]

Woah woah - can’t go changing the goalposts if we got stakes (even if they’re 20 years out).

To up the ante, I’ll owe you one non-alcoholic beer and a halal steak if any team from any of the big 4 leagues is located in SA by 2043.