Regulatory Shadow Over Saudi Golf League LIV And PGA Tour Merger

The merger between the PGA Tour and Saudi-backed LIV Golf, initially set to be finalized by December 31, faces potential delays amid regulatory concerns in the U.S. and demands by PGA Tour players for a stake. 

The players, guided by the Raine Group, are instrumental in the ongoing negotiations, underscoring a shift from earlier discussions that excluded them. 

The U.S. Justice Department's review of the proposed merger adds another complexity stemming from antitrust concerns.

The players, including notable names like Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, are advocated by Raine Group, marking a stark shift from the initial secret talks that involved only high-ranking PGA Tour officials and PIF's chief, Yasir Al-Rumayyan.

The backdrop of these negotiations is the intense rivalry and legal battles between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour. 

The latter accused LIV of leveraging sports to divert attention from Saudi Arabia's human-rights record. 

LIV, supported by substantial funding, had attempted to entice top players like Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka with lucrative offers.

The proposed deal, bolstered financially by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), faces scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers and is under review by the Justice Department. 

The Bloomberg report noted that the PGA Tour and LIV could have separate tour schedules next year.

In addition to regulatory and equity challenges, the PGA Tour and LIV are tasked with addressing various other concerns before finalizing the deal. 

Among these is unraveling the financial intricacies of the Public Investment Fund's (PIF) investment and determining the future of existing contracts with broadcasters and brand sponsors. 

Citing a person familiar with the matter, the report highlighted the absence of a single dominating issue; instead, the complexity of the negotiation process itself is influencing the pace of discussions.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.