More than $1 billion has been spent luring the best men’s stars to the breakaway tour. Will a women’s equivalent be next?
LIV Golf chief executive Greg Norman says launching a women’s circuit is at the “forefront of my mind” as he tipped the Saudi-backed breakaway men’s tour would expand beyond YouTube broadcasts next year.
“That’s always been in the forefront of my mind to be honest with you because I have been a staunch proponent of them,” he told the“I’ve played with a lot of LPGA players over the years and I think their value has risen recently, there’s no question about it. If there’s an opportunity for us to have an open conversation and dialogue with women, I’m very much at the forefront of that.
But Norman has repeatedly said the game of golf can be a force for good in the kingdom, whose public investment fund is bankrolling the rebel circuit.Norman’s next LIV event will be held in Thailand this week, with Australia’s world No.3 Cameron Smith trying to make it back-to-back wins. Norman is reportedly on the verge of securing a broadcast rights deal which will involve LIV paying American cable television network Fox Sports to showcase the league’s events in 2023. LIV would then sell its own commercial assets for the broadcast to make it financially viable.