Latest news with #RonWechsler
The Guardian
07-02-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
LIV Golf strikes blow with deal to show live coverage on ITV
LIV Golf has struck its latest blow to the sport's establishment by securing a free-to-air television deal in the UK. ITV will screen 41 rounds from 41 tournaments of the Saudi Arabian-backed rebel tour in what marks a stark change for golf in the UK broadcast market. The BBC's gradual withdrawal from showing live golf means Sky essentially controls all coverage of the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and majors. It had been widely assumed there was no appetite for free-to-air golf in this market. However, LIV surprisingly announced it had bucked the trend just as its 2025 season teed off in Riyadh. Round two of that event will be the first to appear on ITV. Niall Sloane, director of ITV Sport, 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.' With ITVX the primary platform for LIV, selected live broadcasts will also be shown on ITV1 and ITV4. A weekly highlights show, produced by LIV, will air on ITV4. LIV concluded a similar deal with Fox Sports in the US. LIV's Ron Wechsler 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.' In a positive week for LIV, the US Open had already announced it will offer an exemption to a player via the tour's own standings. It is expected the Open Championship will follow suit for Portrush this July.
BBC News
07-02-2025
- Business
- BBC News
LIV Golf to be broadcast on ITV in 2025
LIV Golf has agreed a deal with ITV to show live coverage of the 2025 season in the will begin with the second round of the season-opening event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with 41 rounds of live golf shown across 14 tournaments on rounds will be shown on ITV1 and ITV4, along with a weekly highlights show on ITV4, making it the only free-to-air golf in the UK. Since the Saudi-backed event was launched in 2022 it has only been available to watch Sloane, director of ITV Sport, 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."Ron Wechsler, LIV Golf senior vice president of broadcast partnerships and programming strategy, said the partnership was a "major milestone as we strive to bring LIV Golf to every corner of the world".On Wednesday it was announced that the US Open will be the first major to offer exemptions to LIV players based on their United States Golf Association (USGA) said the top LIV player, who is not otherwise exempt, will directly earn a place in the field for the US Open, which will be held at the Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania from 12-15 PGA Tour has been in protracted negotiations with LIV's backers, the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), in an attempt to heal the split in world Thursday, the PGA said it was "closer to a deal" with LIV after calling on American President Donald Trump to get involved.
