Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
The clock is ticking for LIV Golf as it slowly but surely approaches the end of what could end up being its final season. The league has been staring down an existential crisis since being informed it will no longer be funded by Saudi Arabia once the end of August rolls around, and it has started to tighten the belt in an attempt to cut costs as it works on a contingency plan.
LIV Golf spent the past five years attempting to live up to its promise of giving the PGA Tour a run for its money without ever really coming close to proving it had what it took to do so. Its players were reportedly under the impression that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund was committed to sticking with the project until at least 2032, but that did not end up being the case.
In April, we learned its biggest backer had decided to pull the plug after pouring more than $6 billion into what is poised to be one of the most disastrously expensive experiments in sports history. LIV Golf is currently attempting to secure upwards of $350 million from other investors in an attempt to survive, but the spigot it’s primarily relied on will be turned off when the current season wraps up in August.
The league is committed to finishing out the remainder of a schedule that boasts six events that have yet to be completed, but it looks like there are going to be some cost-related changes being instituted over the next few months.
LIV Golf is no longer giving subscribers the chance to watch “Any Shot, Any Time” on its streaming service
Prior to the start of the 2025 season, LIV Golf got a much-needed win by inking a broadcast deal with Fox Sports (although it hasn’t really threatened to break any ratings records since it was finalized).
Fans can also tune into events by subscribing to the LIV Golf app, which once promised anyone who dropped $59.99 on an annual subscription (or $8.99 for a single event) would have the ability to” watch every shot live or on-demand.” However, that is no longer the case.
According to Sports Business Journal, viewers who harnessed that platform to tune into the ongoing tournament at Asiad Country Club in Busan, South Korea discovered they no longer had access to the “Any Shot, Any Time” option that allowed them to watch, well, any shot at any time.
That was also the case with dedicated feeds for specific groups and teams, and a spokesperson told the outlet they’ve been eliminated due to a “strategic decision” linked to a reevaluation of its “operations and production model.” They will be offering refunds, although it’s unclear if they will be prorated or cover the entirety of the upfront cost.
There’s no way to know how many people shelled out for a subscription. With that said, it seems safe to assume it didn’t contribute to a significant portion of its revenue—and that those refunds will have a major impact on a bottom line that’s already well below water.