A recent connection in the world of LIV Golf might be a game-changer for the league. LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil and Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas unveiled a significant multi-year agreement with Riyadh Air, the national airline operated by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), on February 4, 2025. For the 2025 golf season, this collaboration represents a significant turning point. 

The announcement on Tuesday brought together some of the biggest names in golf to celebrate the League’s new synergy, including Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm, Crushers GC captain Bryson DeChambeau, Fireballs GC captain Sergio Garcia, 4Aces GC captain Dustin Johnson, and Torque GC captain Joaquin Niemann. However, this collaboration has sparked intense criticism and indignation among fans. Many people view it as the epitome of “sportswashing,” the practice of businesses using sports affiliations to improve their reputations despite controversial pasts. Let’s see how the fans are responding.

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LIV Golf’s association: A cross-continental strategic alliance

With 14 tournaments spread over nine nations, the 2025 LIV Golf season is sure to enthrall viewers everywhere. The season begins with the tour’s first night tournament, which will take place at the Riyadh Golf Club in Saudi Arabia from February 6–8. After this special premiere, the tour shall make stops in Seoul, South Korea, and Adelaide, Australia, before moving across continents to Mexico City, Virginia, and Michigan in the US. Significantly, between August 22–24, the season will come to an end at The Cardinal at Saint John’s Resort in Plymouth, Michigan.

Through cooperation with Riyadh Air, the airline hopes to heavily promote its brand by taking advantage of such international events. Strategic TV placements, improved accommodation offerings, and prominent on-course branding will guarantee that Riyadh Air becomes an established brand to golfers worldwide. The goal of this partnership is to give Riyadh Air consistent exposure to both local viewers and worldwide television consumers, strengthening its position in the international market.

This partnership also highlights the growing relationship between LIV Golf and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, which controls both businesses. In addition to securing significant financial support, LIV Golf’s association with Riyadh Air enhances its logistical abilities, which might lead to easier transportation planning for players and staff throughout the tour’s extensive schedule. However, this collaboration has sparked a wave of fan rage and skepticism Let’s check out these reactions!

Fan reaction: A collaboration under examination

Although LIV Golf and Riyadh Air have emphasized the strategic benefits of the collaboration, not everyone approves of it. Some in the golf industry have voiced doubt, considering the cooperation to be an internal agreement rather than a revolutionary outside collaboration. Critics have expressed concerns on social media. As one admirer put it, “What? That proves nothing. It’s both entities owned by PIF scratching each other’s back. That’s business.” “Moving money from one pocket into the other…” another person said. These opinions show that the corporation is seen as little more than a grouping of the PIF’s holdings.

Others have questioned the partnership’s potential impact on LIV Golf’s future. One critic dismissed the collaboration as “Exhibition garbage.” Another responded, “This may be a bit simplistic, but isn’t this the equivalent of the PIF using a different checkbook to write the check?” Comments like this imply a perception that working together might not have a big effect on the tour’s sustainability or credibility. The perception of LIV Golf’s capacity to draw in outside partners is also subject to criticism. One fan wrote, “So nobody wanted to partner them so they had to partner with themselves? Makes sense.”  This point of view suggests that LIV Golf’s affiliation with Riyadh Air could not be a strategic decision, but rather a backup plan. 

The challenge for LIV Golf as the 2025 season draws near is to satisfy stakeholders’ and fans’ concerns while simultaneously producing tournaments that are engaging. Although partnering with Riyadh Air has economic and operational benefits, it also puts the tour under greater scrutiny. A major factor in deciding LIV Golf’s position in the international golf community will be how it handles this terrain.

In short, although the relationship between LIV Golf and Riyadh Air is a key strategic step in the professional golf business, it also emphasizes the difficulties and complexity that arise when companies with shared ownership work jointly. The upcoming season will be crucial in determining whether or not this partnership can overcome preconceptions and provide real advantages to the sport and its international following.