LIV Golf has surely seen better times. Better days as in during its inaugural year. However, the success from an attention-grabbing point of view in 2022 pushed the circuit to bring in a lot of changes in the following season which was otherwise kept for a later date down the lane. Unfortunately, reality quickly dawned down on the Saudi-backed league as low viewership took the form of the villain in 2023.

However, it seems as if the alternate tour is set to make a few more changes in the upcoming year. Topping the new list of developments is none other than Jon Rahm, the Spaniard who jumped ships to LIV from the PGA Tour. Well, with the 2023 Masters champ joining the fray, one can’t help but wonder if it would drag the Middle Eastern circuit back into the spotlight in 2024!

LIV Golf’s poor TV ratings amid merger chaos

The duo, Greg Norman and Yasir Al-Rumayyan would have breathed a sigh of relief following the announcement that Jay Monahan made a while back regarding the merger and the negotiations. Yet, the duo’s cause for worry would not have completely gone away owing to a recent report that highlighted the poor financials of the disruptive league because of dismal TV ratings.

The PIF-funded circuit could only manage a meager one-ninth (roughly 200,000) of the PGA Tour’s viewers on its partner network as opposed to the latter’s figures which numbered them at around 1.89 million on CBS and NBC when simultaneously cast. Moreover, The CW being a broadcasting company that usually does not focus on sports, coupled with the new business model and team focus of the 2023 LIV Golf events undoubtedly affected its viewership for the year. But, never fear, Rahm is here! The new set of changes topped by the 2021 U.S. Open champ’s defection might actually prove to be favorable for the league.

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Jon Rahm’s entry; a possible bright future for LIV Golf?

It seems the alternate tour would find its savior in the form of the Spaniard who recently jumped ships to the same for a reported amount of around $500 million. And, justifiably so, curiosity naturally arises about his role in the 2024 season and how the pro’s presence would pull them out of their misery!

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As a prime example of the fame he carries, the current world No.3’s jump to the PIF-funded circuit made a lot of waves in the golfing community, even when rumors of the same arose. Moreover, the league has already begun to juice out what they can from the golfer’s appearance at the stunning ‘City of Angels’ by raising their ticket prices for the Las Vegas event in the upcoming season. Well, the Spanish athlete being a crowd-puller would surely work out in favor of LIV Golf just like the 2023 Masters Tournament.

Rahm and the 2023 Masters Tournament; a tale of records

During the major at Augusta National the previous year, the then-28-year-old was able to emerge victorious by scoring a 12-under 276 to don the famous green jacket reserved for champions. The final round of the same also witnessed the Spanish golfer come back from a two-shot deficit all the while reclaiming the top spot on the Official World Golf Rankings. However, while scoring the best numbers on the scoreboard, the athlete was also able to pull in the best figures over the broadcast during the Sunday round.

The final day witnessed a record viewership, averaging a number of 12.06 million people watching the same. Moreover, it became the most-watched telecast of the sport in the world in over five years. Meanwhile, the 11X PGA Tour champ clinching the victory brought in a peak figure of more than 15 million, especially between 7:00-7:15 p.m. ET as he was in the final moments of his win over the field of golfers.

As the Saudi-backed circuit gears up for its 2024 season, the Greg Norman-led tour would be anticipating better numbers on the network. What’s more, the combination of the Spaniard and fellow LIV golfer Brooks Koepka, who finished T2 in the previous Masters, would surely boost the figures of the upcoming tournaments.

Well, more number of people watching the events on the television would not just increase its ratings. It would also allow the PIF-funded league to rake in more money as opposed to the $100 million that it was able to garner in 2023. All in all, the disruptive league would be expected to fare better on two fronts as they welcome Jon Rahm into their fray in 2024. A truly hopeful situation for LIV Golf!

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