Fans aren’t alone in tuning out LIV Golf these days. The startup league’s broadcast partner, the CW, decided to check out a little early during this weekend’s tournament. It thought re-runs of Penn & Teller was more entertaining television.
A lengthy weather delay and a playoff forced this weekend’s LIV Golf event from Tulsa to run long. When the tournament went over the allotted time slot on CW, the network switched to different programming.
So, nobody watching the network got to witness the dramatic finish between Dustin Johnson, Cameron Smith and Branden Grace.
What’s funnier than the CW switching off a drama-filled golf tournament? The different shows airing in its place. Different regions got different programming.
Some watched Young Sheldon. Others started watching Black-ish. Another said the CW made the switch to a “taped magazine show,” whatever that means. Another market ran a rerun of S.W.A.T.
Those are some … choices.
LIV Golf’s ratings have been abysmal, to say the least. So, clearly, the network doesn’t have much priority to the new league, even if it’s int the middle of an entertaining finish.
For what it’s worth, Johnson won the playoff to claim top prize at the LIV Golf event in Tulsa. For those of you who cared, and weren’t overly invested in that Penn & Teller rerun.
LIV Golf’s Greg Norman claims PGA Tour’s Rory McIlroy has ‘seen the light’
While we all laugh at the CW making the switch to other programming during a playoff, LIV Golf commissioner Greg Norman believes the league is in good shape. He says that even PGA Tour superstar Rory McIlroy has acknowledged it … basically.
McIlroy has been one of the loudest voices to speak out against LIV Golf over the past two years. He thought the league was “dead in the water,” but it has continued to move forward, even with poor ratings.
Recently, McIlroy somewhat softened his stance on the league. He wants to find a way for the PGA Tour and LIV to “co-exist.” Norman believes it’s a sign that the star golfer has “seen the light.”
“I am glad Rory is starting to maybe see the light a little bit,” Norman told BBC Northern Ireland, per OutKick.
“I am glad Rory has recognized that LIV really truly identified how antiquated the PGA Tour was. I am glad Rory is recognizing LIV has been a leader in getting the PGA Tour to try and follow us. Why have we done that? Because of the players.”
Norman still sounds pretty confident in LIV Golf’s future. The ratings might suggest otherwise, though.
More must-reads: