Greg Norman admits where LIV Golf is ‘falling short’ and why ‘uncertainty’ has been created

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Whatever golf fans think about LIV Golf, there is no question at all that the breakaway league has managed to upset the sport’s apple cart like almost nothing else the game has seen.

LIV Golf has caused all kinds of upheaval within the sport, with a number of top players leaving the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour to sign up since its formation in 2022. Of course, their disruptor in chief has largely been CEO Greg Norman.

There certainly seemed to be little love lost between Norman and the established golf tours. Tiger Woods said in 2022 that Norman needed to go if the game was going to come back together. But there is no doubt that he has played his part in establishing LIV Golf as a heavyweight in a short space of time.

LIV has to be taken seriously. They boast a number of major champions, including Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka and Jon Rahm. Their signings certainly played a role in proving that LIV was not just going to be a tour for legendary figures in the twilight of their careers.

Greg Norman suggests where LIV Golf have fallen short

But those who perhaps feared that LIV would lead to the downfall of the PGA Tour have probably been a little surprised. While most appear to want the game to come back together, the PGA Tour maintains a large amount of leverage in the talks.

Norman is reportedly in line to move to a different role within LIV, with a new CEO coming in. And it seems that the Australian has his ideas for what needs to change. Speaking to Sports Illustrated, Norman suggested that progress has stalled somewhat due to not having a television deal.

“Where we’re falling short is due to the headwinds in not getting a network [TV] deal,” he said. “That creates uncertainty in the marketplace. [A lot of companies say] let’s see what happens. That rolls into sponsorship. We have an enormous number of big corporations who are talking to us and would be very keen to come on.

“Again, the question is what is going to happen with the deal? Whether it happens or it doesn’t is going to set the marketplace at ease. When we know what’ll do and the marketplace will know how to navigate the situation. But the headwinds continue from a scheduling and venue perspective as well.”

Another reminder as to how important the game coming back together now is

There is so much uncertainty in the game of golf right now that it is hard to predict what the future will look like for LIV Golf as well as the PGA Tour. With the 2025 calendars taking shape, it is hard to see any significant change coming in the next 12 months.

Clearly, LIV will be in a better position to secure a major television deal if there is a pathway which involves PGA Tour players also featuring in their events. But there seems to be so many plates spinning right now that you can understand why networks are acting cautiously.