LIV Golf has made a “strategic decision” to cut some of its streaming broadcast technology for the rest of the season.
CEO Scott O’Neill has continually said LIV Golf will have to change as a business if it’s to secure funding beyond this season.
And cutting costs will be top of the list, with massive debts run up while under the funding umbrella of the Saudi PIF.
With the Saudis pulling out after the current season, one of the first changes made by LIV Golf is to drop some of the premium streaming facilities usually available.
As the tournament in Korea teed off, the LIV app features to watch a particular group, particular team and the ‘Any Shot, Any Time’ stream were all unavilable.
LIV Golf later confirmed to the Sports Business Journal that these streams had been dropped intentionally, and in fact had been cut for the rest of the season.
The stream cuts come as LIV Golf “evaluates its operations and production model” according to the SBJ.
LIV Golf to refund app users
(Image credit: Getty Images)
It’s not known how much these three streams cost to operate, but it’s a fair assumption that they’ve been dropped as part of O’Neill’s plan to streamline the business and make it more sustainable.
Cutting these streams is a big blow for users of the app who have either spent the $59.99 for a year’s access or the one-off $8.99 event pass.
With six events left of the season, including Korea, LIV Golf is now believed to be working on a plan to refund subscribers for losing these enhanced technologies.
It’s a tough decision to make for the team golf tour, which had made technology a key differentiator from viewing a regular PGA Tour event.
The ‘Any Shot, Any Time’ feature in particular was seen as a big one, and a premium feature for any golf event – the PGA Tour launched one for The Players Championship in 2020 and The Masters app has been lauded for leading the way in this technology.
Viewers being able to see more of the golf is something LIV Golf has prided itself in so far, the high bar it has set may have to be lowered slightly in whatever shape it takes in the future.
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