LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil addressed media Tuesday ahead of the tour's stop at Trump National D.C. for the LIV Virginia event this week, the first time he's spoken since news broke that Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund was pulling all financial support for the tour following the 2026 season.
When asked about his thoughts after losing the PIF funding and the tour's plans movig forward, O'Neil said, “I think I find myself energized, excited, happy, feeling a bit of pressure for sure, and very grateful for this opportunity, for the team I get to work with. To have this chance in this business, to be able to reset and create something special, something lasting ... I feel an appropriate amount of pressure, which I hope we all do here. I’m feeling inspired. And I feel like we have a clear path to a win.”
After offering no specifics on how the tour will "win," beyond franchising each of the 13 teams from that format, O'Neil simply added, "We are going to create a business plan. We’re going to lock arms with the players. We will go to market and raise money on the top, on a league level, and then we will go and get investors in teams, in that order.”
“We're going to have to change some things we do, of course, and yes, we’ve already made some changes,” O’Neil said to another question. “I definitely will not be talking through specifics of the plan, but it’s a playbook that won't surprise too many people once you see it.”
My take: A lot of "I" statements. This is the same boiler-plate language O'Neil uses everywhere he goes. He's done well working in well-capitalized environments for NFL, NBA and NHL teams, but his last venture at revenue-challenged London-based Merlin Entertainments, which operates European museums and amusement parks, resulted in a massive debt load and a downgrade of the organization's credit rating.
THE ASYLUM
LIV CEO 'energized'
LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil addressed media Tuesday ahead of the tour's stop at Trump National D.C. for the LIV Virginia event this week, the first time he's spoken since news broke that Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund was pulling all financial support for the tour following the 2026 season.
When asked about his thoughts after losing the PIF funding and the tour's plans movig forward, O'Neil said, “I think I find myself energized, excited, happy, feeling a bit of pressure for sure, and very grateful for this opportunity, for the team I get to work with. To have this chance in this business, to be able to reset and create something special, something lasting ... I feel an appropriate amount of pressure, which I hope we all do here. I’m feeling inspired. And I feel like we have a clear path to a win.”
After offering no specifics on how the tour will "win," beyond franchising each of the 13 teams from that format, O'Neil simply added, "We are going to create a business plan. We’re going to lock arms with the players. We will go to market and raise money on the top, on a league level, and then we will go and get investors in teams, in that order.”
“We're going to have to change some things we do, of course, and yes, we’ve already made some changes,” O’Neil said to another question. “I definitely will not be talking through specifics of the plan, but it’s a playbook that won't surprise too many people once you see it.”
My take: A lot of "I" statements. This is the same boiler-plate language O'Neil uses everywhere he goes. He's done well working in well-capitalized environments for NFL, NBA and NHL teams, but his last venture at revenue-challenged London-based Merlin Entertainments, which operates European museums and amusement parks, resulted in a massive debt load and a downgrade of the organization's credit rating.
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