"I don’t care how much money you have" - PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh calls LIV Golf a 'failed experiment'
PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh recently referred to LIV Golf as a "failed experiment" considering the economic aspect. He said that the upstart league wasn't economically sustainable and he didn't see any hope for it in the future, which is why the PGA Tour deal was inevitable.
Seth Waugh recently spoke to Golfweek, where he touched upon several things, including the prospects of the LIV Golf-PGA Tour deal. When asked about his perspective on the merger, he said he was surprised that it was taking a lot of time. While acknowledging that the deal had its complications, he stressed that it was ultimately inevitable.
"LIV is a failed economic experiment. Disruption needs one of two things, hopefully both: you need a better product or you need better pricing…. No way you can say they're a superior product and they have no pricing because there's no economics. It's not sustainable.
"I don’t care how much money you have, burning it doesn’t feel very good. And I don't see any way out for them. I don't see light at the end of the tunnel… So they need a deal. And then the Tour needs one as well. SSG, the new owners, need one."
"Both sides need a deal" - Seth Waugh makes his stand clear on LIV Golf-PGA Tour deal
However, Seth Waugh acknowledged that the popularity of golf was taking a hit and sponsors were becoming more demanding, as they weren't getting much return from it.
"It's not a crisis, but every week that goes by is like a dull ache," he added via the aforementioned source. "Both sides need a deal and I think now you have a new administration that’s gonna be much more deal-friendly than the last. And a president who likes the game and wouldn't mind being the guy that fixed golf. That would be something he'd like to say he did."
For the uninitiated, LIV Golf and the PGA Tour announced in June 2023 that they were joining forces to form a single entity, PGA Tour Enterprises. The deal was originally supposed to be finalized by the end of the year, but the deadline was extended until April last year. However, the parties failed to agree on common terms, and the deal is still waiting to be finalized.
With the beginning of the new season, fans hope to finally see an end to the tiff between the two circuits.