Apple, Amazon say no to LIV Golf TV deal

Greg Norman’s LIV Golf is certainly proving a hit with players and fans alike. However, the murky details of its money trail are causing headaches for the CEO in recent talks surrounding TV rights for the rebel tour.

While the Saudi-backed league currently streams its tournaments predominantly on YouTube and Facebook, it needs to ink a deal with a worldwide TV partner to start bringing money into the coffers.

LIV Golf CEO and Commissioner Greg Norman (Credit: QBE)

The Wall Street Journal has reported that both Amazon and AppleTV are already out of the picture despite both platforms investing heavily in sports streaming in recent years.

They join Fox, ESPN, CBS and NBC in passing on the opportunity, some due to obvious conflicts with PGA Tour rights while others are due to scheduling issues with other major US sports.

Not all doors are closed. Netflix are one big name still on the table and with a more affordable ad-based tier coming soon to the streaming giant, LIV Golf fans might have another viewing option on the table. It remains to be seen how many of those watching for free on YouTube and Facebook will make the switch.

With the expanded 14-tournament 2023 season looming large, Norman will be under pressure to secure a deal, sooner rather than later.