Is LIV Golf setting up a team players trade window in 2024 like MLB? All you need to know
It has been two years since LIV Golf started. Although in the initial first two years, the League didn't have a team players trade window, however, they are set to start it in the 2024 season.
According to a report in Sports Illustrated, the league wanted to have a player's trade structure before its inception in 2022. However, they oversaw the structure at that time to look at other different and important facets attentively.
The new system will require both teams and the players to agree before signing off the transaction before the trade deadline window.
In the history of the game of golf, players' trade has not been a practice. However, for LIV Golf, the team structure is what differentiates the league from other professional tours going around the world.
Other professional sports like baseball and soccer already have players' trade systems in place. Be it MLB, La Liga, or Premier League, all of them have been praticing the structure for a long period and garnered enough fan reactions.
How do the LIV Golf players feel about the new team players trade window?
Since the concept of player trade is new to golf, players had different reactions to it. While some felt it could benefit a franchise in the longer run, there were a few who felt it would cause certain malfunctions as well.
However, for LIV Golf, player movement is not a new thing. Earlier in 2022, Peter Uihlein was actually not traded, but, started as a free agent after Matthew Wolff replaced him in the Smash GC.
As per Sports Illustrated, Uihlien, who now plays for 4 Aces GC, shared his thoughts on the planned players' trade window in 2024. According to the former US Amateur champion, the new structure could benefit franchises and they got to make hard decisions as this is all just business.
"I mean, it's no different than any other sport, right? Baseball, football, basketball, guys get traded (though) you obviously build a rapport with your squad. But at the end of the day, if your franchise thinks they can do better, then they have to make hard decisions, and it's just business," he said.
While RangeGoats GC captain Bubba Watson had a different opinion on the LIV Golf's new players trade window. He felt that it would change the dynamics of getting along inside the team.
"It's gonna be a reason of not getting along. This guy can help us or I'm buddies with this guy, or all the team's friends with this guy," Watson said.
Bryson DeChambeau, the Cruchers GC captain, had a different take on the new system. He felt that the new players' trade structure would come into the picture if a player had been already given enough chances and is yet not performing well. Thereafter, they have to make a tough call and let a trade happen.
"I can't speak for everyone, but what I can say is that if it comes time to where someone's not performing well, and it's been enough time to try and get given that opportunity to play well and it's not been done, I will make a decision based on that," he said.
The LIV Golf Greenbrier champion added that it would also be money and opportunity that would lead a player to decide to be part of a new and unique structure.
As mentioned earlier, LIV Golf had player movements earlier, but, it was via free agency, not player trade. Peter Ulihein, Matthew Wolf,f and Talor Gooch have switched to different franchises after the first season.