"We're F1 of golf" - LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil makes big viewership claim amid tour's worrying numbers
LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil has opened up about the viewership of the Saudi league. He joined the circuit ahead of the 2025 season, replacing Greg Norman in the position.
This season, LIV Golf has completed four events and garnered significant views. The tournaments, however, are being held around the world, and this week, the players will finally be playing on U.S. soil in their Miami event.
Ahead of this week's Miami event, Scott O'Neil addressed the media on Wednesday, April 2, and opened up about the series and its popularity around the globe. He compared LIV Golf with F1, saying, via Golf Digest:
"I have no problem being judged. Judge me this week for sure in the U.S. But I'll tell you, two and a half million people watched that Riyadh [season opening] event … not in the U.S. but we're a global sports league. We're [similar to the] F1 of golf, and F1, I’d imagine, has more people watching in [Asia-Pacific] when they're in Singapore than they do when they're in Miami.”
LIV Golf has signed a broadcasting deal with Fox Sports ahead of this season. In their last four events, it had significant viewership, with the maximum accumulated in the Adelaide event, which drew around 249,000 views, while the lowest was in the Hong Kong event, garnering only 29,000 views on U.S. Fox. The Singapore event had 34,000 views, and the season-opening Riyadh event had 85,000.
Scott O'Neil talks about the PGA Tour-LIV Golf deal
When LIV started in 2022, it received criticism from the PGA Tour and golf fans. However, later, the Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan announced a shocking framework deal with them. But that has been under consideration since its announcement in June 2023.
Earlier this year, even U.S. President Donald Trump joined the conversation and had a meeting with officials from both circuits. Despite the conversations and meetings, the deal has still not been finalized.
Ahead of the 2025 LIV Golf Miami, Scott O'Neil opened up about the deal, saying, via Golf Digest:
“If the deal can help grow the game of golf, I'll jump in with two feet and so, ‘Have to do a deal?’ No. ‘Nice to do a deal?’ So long as we're all focused on the same thing, which is growing the game of golf. I think we're all up for it,” O’Neil said. “I love our prospects.”
Meanwhile, this week, the Saudi league players will start their game in Miami at Trump National Golf Course. The tournament is scheduled with its first round on April 4 and concludes with its finale on April 6.