LIV Golf hit a milestone in April 2025 with a record 484,000 viewers tuning in to its Miami event at Trump Doral Golf Course. Star power was in full force—Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Phil Mickelson teed up in front of cameras, and Marc Leishman ultimately took home $4 million from a staggering $25 million purse.
Yet, on that same day, the PGA Tour’s Valero Texas Open—without most of its elite players—drew 1.75 million viewers. LIV’s top-heavy talent pool and high production values failed to capture even a third of that audience.
For a league backed by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) and fuelled by massive player contracts (up to $450 million for Rahm), such figures underscore a difficult question: Is LIV Golf a viable media product, or an expensive experiment?
Underwhelming Major Impact
Despite marquee signings, LIV players have underperformed in golf’s most important events—its major championships. Outside of Brooks Koepka and DeChambeau, the returns have been slim. Jon Rahm, once the face of the PGA, has failed to produce significant results since joining LIV. Other players, like Cameron Smith and Joaquin Niemann, have struggled with form despite dominating LIV events.
This underperformance matters. The majors are where LIV players go head-to-head with PGA stars—if they don’t excel there, it damages the league’s credibility and commercial value.
A Heavy Investment with Limited ROI
LIV’s cumulative investment is expected to exceed $5 billion by the end of 2025. Its estimated revenue? Roughly $100 million across a 14-tournament season. Only two events—Adelaide and Miami—are thought to generate over $10 million in revenue.
Sponsorships haven’t closed the gap. LIV’s top deal is with Riyadh Air, estimated at $3 million annually. With these numbers, continued PIF support appears essential to the league’s survival.
Media Expansion: A Step Forward?
One area of clear progress is broadcasting. LIV has signed nine new media deals from 2025, including a flagship arrangement with Fox in the U.S. and partnerships across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Notably, its exit from The CW Network—where LIV had no rights fees—signals a shift toward traditional revenue models.
Still, the majority of these deals expire within two years, leaving questions about long-term commitment from broadcasters.
Content Strategy and Youth Engagement
In contrast to traditional golf media strategies, LIV is actively courting a younger audience via YouTube. DeChambeau and Mickelson’s personal channels (with over 2.3 million subscribers combined), along with influencer partnerships like Rick Shiels (3M+ subscribers), are helping the league reach new demographics.
Content formats like “The Duels”—pairing LIV pros with creators—have drawn millions of views. If the league’s on-course product can’t draw fans, its off-course content may be LIV’s best bet to stay culturally relevant.
The LIV Playbook—High Risk, High Visibility
At 365247, we help clients understand and adapt to new models in sport. LIV Golf’s story presents a live case study on high-stakes disruption:
- Can performance catch up to investment?
- Will short-form content outgrow long-form traditions?
- Can fan engagement be redefined through digital-first storytelling?
For leagues, rights holders, and investors considering a bold play in a saturated market, LIV Golf’s blueprint holds valuable lessons—both in potential and in pitfalls.
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IMAGE: Reuters
