LIV Golf set to compete with PGA Tour’s legacy with free-to-air boost

LIV Golf has exclusively signed a deal with ITV Sport to air its tournament. The Saudi league is extending its reach and impact at the global level, closely competing with the PGA Tour. Their tournaments are now free to air on television in the United Kingdom.

The 2025 season started with the opening event in the country's capital Riyadh on February 6. The second round is being played today and the tournament will be available to stream on ITVX in the UK. Not only this, but the streaming platform will broadcast all the events in 2025 along with some specific live coverage.

Most of the primary coverage of the tournaments in 2025 in the UK will be available through ITVX, while some selected live broadcasting will be done on ITV1 and ITV4.

The deal aims to add wings to the growth of LIV at the global level. Earlier this year, it signed a deal with Fox Sports to present the events in the United States. Aside from that, it has also signed a deal with Movistar Plus+ in Spain and Coupang Play in South Korea.

While it is following up by extending coverage for the tournaments, LIV has also been negotiating a potential merger with the PGA Tour. The framework agreement was announced in June 2023, but so far, they have not reached a conclusion, and discussions about the potential merger are ongoing.

The PGA Tour has its legacy in the world, being one of the most prestigious and reputed golf series, and now LIV is closely competing with it. The Saudi league has already attracted a dozen of the PGA Tour's top players, such as Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson, and Brooks Koepka, to play on the circuit.

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LIV Golf officials open up about the new deal with ITV

LIV Golf's new deal with ITV brings golf to free-to-air television, attracting a larger audience. Following the agreement, Senior Vice President of Broadcasting Partnership and Programming Strategy, Ron Wechsler, opened up about the deal and shared his excitement. He said:

"Our partnership with ITV represents a major milestone as we strive to bring LIV Golf to every corner of the world. With a premier sports broadcaster like ITV, we can ensure that more fans than ever will be able to access the excitement of the LIV Golf experience and connect with the world-class players, teams, and stories that make us a truly standalone global sports league."

The director of ITV Sports, Niall Sloane, also opened up about the deal. He said:

"This is an exciting time for LIV Golf as we look ahead to the innovative 2025 season. This partnership delivers free-to-air coverage for fans in the UK and we are delighted to welcome LIV Golf to ITV Sport."

The 2025 season has 14 tournaments, taking place at different venues around the globe. It has started the season in Riyadh this week and will have its conclusion in August with the season-ending Team Championship.