LIV Golf endured shocking TV debut as more people watched 'World's Funniest Animals' than the Saudi-backed tournament 

LIV Golf's 2023 season is off to an inauspicious start. They finally secured their TV deal, which was paramount to their success and shelf life as a legitimate golf league. However, it's as if they weren't even on television at all.

John Ourand of Sports Business Journal reported that the LIV opener drew a 0.2 TV rating on Saturday. This was its CW network debut across 26 measured markets. That rating effectively means that just 0.2% of households in those areas actually turned on the TV, let alone sat down and actively watched the event.

The Mirror reports that the LIV Golf tournament was outdone by the comedy show World's Funniest Animals, which showcases how poor of a start this was.

The first season, which featured eight events, was streamed on YouTube. LIV thought that a television deal, even on the CW, would be a huge success.

For the opening event of their 14-event schedule, getting a deal on television was a big step that they needed to make, but was it even worth it?

Ultimately, if this continues, LIV could fizzle out much sooner than anyone had anticipated. Eventually, the money will run out and they'll need things like this TV contract.

If it's unsuccessful, they could be in serious trouble.

---

Ian Poulter received tons of abuse for joining LIV Golf

Part of the reason LIV Golf needed the television deal was because the league is seen as inferior. It's not as good as the PGA Tour and those who defected are "traitors" in the eyes of many.

Ian Poulter at the PIF Saudi International for LIV Golf

That reputation doesn't do well and it certainly doesn't help the players on LIV. Ian Poulter reportedly received a shocking amount of abuse for his decision.

Poulter admitted he stress ate to cope with everything via Golf WRX:

“Those sarnies, covered in HP sauce, on a daily basis, were great, delicious, as was all the chocolate and everything, but I was feeling awful, slovenly, and it was plainly not a pleasant situation. I would never admit that I was stress-eating, but who knows the way the mind works? I was getting ridiculous abuse and, in that sense, they were tough times.”

He also credited the Full Swing documentary for helping turn around the public image of him:

“After the first seven or eight months of having the same opinion shouted at me, I was worried how it would be received, but I have been taken aback by the response. I mean, scrolling through the messages, since it was released 10 days ago, it’s been one positive thing after another. The opposite of what I’ve become used to.”

Full Swing sought to showcase the current state of golf, and naturally, the PGA Tour-LIV debate was front and center. It's likely that many are even more upset with the rebel tour and its players, but evidently some softened and reached out to Poulter, one of LIV Golf's most vocal advocates.

If the TV deal doesn't pan out and the league folds in time, the golfers who joined it won't have their decisions forgotten, but maybe they can be forgiven by the masses.