Welcome to LIV Golf: Flashy, and Not Without Controversy

Heading west on U.S. Route 26 outside of Portland, Oregon, last weekend, variable message signs directed attendees to the LIV Golf tournament just beyond Exit 55 for Dersham Road. Once off the highway, a branded sign directed fans to Pumpkin Ridge Golf Course, the host site for the Saudi-funded tournament's first U.S. event. Just outside of the greens, an individual in a high-visibility vest held a sign that read only “Fallon Smart,” referencing the 15-year-old student from Portland’s Franklin High School run down by Saudi national Abdulrahman Sameer Noorah in 2016 when he swerved his gold Lexus around traffic that had stopped to let Fallon cross. While awaiting trial, Noorah cut off his ankle monitor and escaped back to his home country, likely with the help of Saudi officials, according to the FBI. Similar Saudi evasions of U.S. justice happen often, and they're among a string of objectionable acts (including the murder of journalists and mass killing of political enemies) committed by the kingdom. But if the protester's sign didn’t have “LIV Golf” on it, attendees didn’t care. Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf Tees Off Its U.S. Sponsorship Drive—and Ticks Off PGA That isn’t a generalization—these quotes are from fans at LIV Golf’s first U.S. event, held just outside of Portland this weekend: “I don’t think anybody here agrees with the backing or what they’re doing but, on the other token, you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place because you want to see pro golf,” David Laguatan told Willamette Week. “It’s like, ‘Screw it, I’m still gonna go watch the golf.’” “We are all complicit in it in some way,” Daniel Freauf told Golfweek. “And I want to watch Phil Mickelson play.” “Beers are cheap here, only $5!” Benjamin Beecher told Golfweek. “I’ll pay $70 to drink $5 beers and watch big-time pro golfers, and I don’t give a (expletive) who’s selling the tickets.” “Absolutely do not care,” Tim Fey told Golf Digest. “I’m so happy that someone finally brought [elite] professionals to Oregon. Oregon!” https://twitter.com/Notteham/status/1542923052320641025 While daily attendance was capped at 8,000—and actual attendance looked far lower when we went to Pumpkin Ridge on July 1—those assembled seemed to share two common traits: affluence and indifference. For certain brands and sectors that require expendable income and stern individualism, LIV Golf is the distilled sports marketing experience they’ve been waiting for. A new game In addition to watching some of the biggest names in professional golf, the roughly 4,000 fans who came to see LIV Golf’s version of the sport on July 1 took photos with outsized LIV Golf logos, letters and golf umbrellas. They stacked $10 cans of Rogue cocktails two at a time while waiting in line for $15 bowls from local food trucks. They went right up to the rope on the sixth hole and yelled “Yeah, Phil!” as LIV Golf’s reported $200 million man, Phil Mickelson, sank a short putt. https://twitter.com/Notteham/status/1542975104841175040 It's true that pro golf doesn’t get out here much. The PGA Tour hasn’t returned since hosting the 2015 U.S. Open on the brown, fast late-June grasses of Chambers Bay just outside of Tacoma—about four hours from Portland. A 20-year-old Tiger Woods won a U.S. Amateur at Pumpkin Ridge in 1996, and the Women’s U.S. Open was played there in 1997 and 2003. LIV Golf isn’t a direct comparison, however. Golfers compete as teams instead of individually, and the tournament spans just three days and 54 holes instead of the PGA’s four and 72. The players are laid back and treat the event like a friendly exhibition, where everyone gets paid no matter the outcome. Oh, and there are a lot more bass drops and bottle-service areas. https://twitter.com/Notteham/status/1542946401457278976 Pumpkin Ridge is typically an isolated idyll surrounded by fields of fescue and stands of Douglas fir. Though the developments of neighboring North Plains are visible from the 17th hole, you can also catch a glimpse of gliders taking off from a nearby grass airstrip. Typically, the largest events the surrounding area hosts are an elephant garlic festival and the Northwest String Summit bluegrass and jam band festival. Before LIV Golf came to town, the event's parking lot was a clover field. Much of the clover was still in place beneath rows of jacked-up contractor pickups, rows of German luxury vehicles and the occasional Tesla. During the tournament, Pumpkin Ridge’s lush greens were dotted with 12 large, LIV Golf-branded video screens. Between holes 9 and 10, fans could hear no fewer than three DJs, their playlists pulsating from the central concourse and two Club 54 bar, restaurant and viewing terraces. The course’s practice driving range became a viewing area for fans hoping to catch Dustin Johnson or Pat Perez getting a few swings in before hitting the course. Just beyond the range, a large concert stage awaited “apres golf” audiences who stuck around to hear country artists and local cover bands. LIV Golf logos were screwed into Pumpkin Ridge’s clubhouse cupolas and stuck onto robotic servers dishing out drinks in its press area. https://twitter.com/Notteham/status/1542921980382351360 Flags, golf carts and concession tents bearing the event brand lined the fairways. Putting, chipping and driving “experiences” in the guest village—typically dotted with brand insignias and staffed by representatives—were stamped with LIV Golf. As the Associated Press’s Anne Peterson pointed out, no brand opportunity went to waste. https://twitter.com/AnnieMPeterson/status/1542592885593239552 Finding the green LIV Golf representatives note that despite the league’s deep pockets—it's backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund—it’s eventually going to have to turn a profit if it wants to move forward. Jane MacNellie, LIV Golf’s vp and head of communications, said the company views itself as a startup and sees this season as “a beta test.” Early events are “showcases” for sponsors “so they can see the opportunities and ultimately partner in 2023 and beyond.” With the exception of Taylor Made golf balls and Atlantic caps in the gift shop, LIV Golf’s Portland event was largely devoid of brands. https://twitter.com/Notteham/status/1542949658317582336 However, everywhere LIV Golf affixed its own brand seemed like a suggestion for companies who wanted to put their own stamp on the event. Several brands have left LIV Golf players in favor of the PGA Tour, and broadcasters including CBS, NBC and ESPN already have deals with the Tour, so LIV Golf’s broadcast and social media teams feel as if they’re auditioning for potential partners. What would they look like? That remains to be seen, but there are corners of the marketing world that prize the audience LIV Golf is cultivating. As the Super Bowl approached, Adweek noted that the skepticism facing cryptocurrency was not unlike what the tech world faced during the dot-com boom of the early 2000s. Companies including FTX, EToro and Crypto.com were seeking legitimacy in the eyes of the public and invested heavily in getting the message out. Coinbase’s floating QR code Super Bowl ad even won the Direct Grand Prix at Cannes Lions. From online gambling companies like Caesars Sportsbook and DraftKings to NFT companies like Dapper Labs, Socios.com and Candy Digital, there are scores of marketers looking for sports fans willing to take a risk on a less-than-sure thing. They need people who don’t fear a crypto crash and won’t mind if NFT sales plummet. They need people who prize their personal pleasure above all else, tuning out critique and moral conundrums like so much static. For the brands that thrive on that demographic, there’s still plenty of room on the course to play through. Inside WrestleMania 38, Brands Feel the Love of Fans

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Welcome to LIV Golf: Louder, Flashier, and Not Without Controversy

The Saudi-backed tournament's first U.S. stop courts fans who don't care about competitive sport or international affairs

Jason Notte

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Jason Notte