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New tour in town .

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Mon, Mar 28 2022 2:38 AM (12 replies)

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craigswan

30,953 Posts

Sat, Feb 5 2022 4:31 AM

The Saudi-backed 10-event international series will change the game if stars from the PGA and DP World Tours take part .

Led by greg norman .

The world’s best golfers have been warned they will incur immediate suspension and most likely a career ban from the pga tour if they agree to join a breakaway regime being proposed by Saudi Arabia..

It is no exaggeration to suggest the total financial package for certain players willing to depart the PGA Tour could reach more than $100m. The professional risk, though, appears huge..

“It’s not public knowledge, all that goes on,” Mickelson said. “But the players don’t have access to their own media. If the tour wanted to end any threat [from Saudi or anywhere else], they could just hand back the media rights to the players. But they would rather throw $25 million here and $40 million there than give back the roughly $20 billion in digital assets they control. Or give up access to the $50-plus million they make every year on their own media channel..

“For me personally, it’s not enough that they are sitting on hundreds of millions of digital moments. They also have access to my shots, access I do not have. They also charge companies to use shots I have hit. And when I did ‘The Match’—there have been five of them—the tour forced me to pay them $1 million each time. For my own media rights. That type of greed is, to me, beyond obnoxious.”

43 Posts

Mon, Feb 7 2022 10:03 AM

Craig,

I had not heard of all the details behind this until you brought it up here...thanks! The story is an amazing confluence of greed and questionable sponsors--and I can see why golfers would line-up to play...money matters!

And to Mickelson's point, I'm not sure there is a direct connection between the two. The PGA, like the NCAA, have ownership of individual rights of athletes that create significant revenues. And the individuals get nothing, while the professional overseeing organization gets it all. The advent of the digital age and revenue-producing media created this inequity (in the player's perspective.) Instead of threatening playing in a country where human rights violations are as numerous as the grains of sand covering most of their country, players could pull together and boycott events. That would gain much more public support and positive attention for their cause, IMHO.

But equating the suggestion (offered seemingly as a threat to the PGA)--"Give me some of the digital revenue and I won't play in Saudi Arabia" appears lacking. The fact is Saudi Arabia, as a country, openly and willfully, drowning out the rights of primarily women using religion as an excuse. The treatment of people in Saudi Arabia should be enough for a golfer to say, "No thank you" to the outlandish prize money they offer in their attempt to gain credibility and players. This is not new to Saudi Arabia--from soccer, to tennis to other international events, the enticement of big bucks for showing up in SA has delivered significant success in overcoming their human rights atrocities.

It's time golf should take a stand and say "No" to Saudi Arabia's tainted cash. And, as for Greg Norman, who is "CEO" of a Saudi sponsored golf group, the proof is in the Aussie's pudding...or bank account. Greg caved. Money matters a lot to the "Shark" -- even enough to sellout his integrity to front for a group of murderous thugs.

Thanks again for sharing! I put one of the better general videos on the issue here. All the best, love and blessings to you and yours,

Jessica (Of Course)

craigswan

30,953 Posts

Mon, Feb 7 2022 12:17 PM

Jessica .

My son has lived and worked in saudi arabia for ten years .

He has seen a tremendous improvement in womens rights .

Not wearing a burka , able to drive , being employed etc .

Still a long way to go though .

He was at golf last week .

Infact life is now so normal his american wife is going there in march and looking to work .

Even in westernised united arab emirates male/female relations have way to go .

Arab way of life you have to except when you go there ..

craigswan

30,953 Posts

Mon, Feb 7 2022 12:23 PM

But saudi do have some stupid rules .

My son goes to american , british and italian embassies for nights out .

He can drink alcohol but must drive home drunk because if he gets a taxi and driver smells alcohol he will take him straight to police station .

There is no law about drunk driving because drink doesn't exist in their minds .

craigswan

30,953 Posts

Mon, Feb 7 2022 12:25 PM

Another thing you never here on the news yemen fires missiles into jeddah most nights but the patriot missiles take them out but when the saudi's return fire they are the bad guys .

43 Posts

Mon, Feb 7 2022 1:56 PM

Craig, Thank you for the information! I wish your son and his family all the best! I remember going to Portugal pre-pandemic and doing the silly tourist thing of asking if it was safe. They immediately asked where I was from (Dallas at the time) and said, "It's much safer here than every American city" ----- and they were right . I remain hopeful the Saudi's will continue to much faster path to being a much more open, equitable society. The thing about driving/drinking speaks to the paradoxical ways they meet the present while still looking to the past for a lot of direction (just my opinion, assuming from everything I've heard, read and what you're sharing) As always, wishing you all the best, enjoy your holiday, stay safe, have fun, cheers! Jessica