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via Imago

via Imago

LIV Golf. But a little less loud. For Greg Norman, the Super Bowl reality seems to be kicking in. LIV Mayakoba has a stark difference from how it ended at Trump Doral in October. The format has gone through some necessary changes, yes. But in appearance, the breakaway league is trying to be more polished as well. 

The music, if you haven’t noticed, is not as loud as it was. While DJs and EDMs at golf courses might still be unpalatable to traditional golf fans, they have become an integral part of the Saudi-backed league. Nevertheless, the LIV Golf CEO has turned the volume down before its Vegas debut. 

Greg Norman senses the room temperature

Norman’s plan seems to have resonated with the audience. “They’ve now dialed it [music] back and it’s almost unnoticeable. I can’t compliment the production team enough, they want the viewing experience to be as good as possible for fans and are doing a great job,” Flushing It Golf tweeted.

Some fans also point out that on the course, it doesn’t feel assaulting like before. Detractors have long pointed out that in his bid to modernize the game, Greg Norman has attacked the very sanctity of it. But now that the Hall of Famer is eying a grand showdown at Las Vegas, that too, no less than during the Super Bowl week, Norman is perhaps making some necessary amendments. 

Notably, a staggering 113 million viewers tuned in to the Super Bowl last year, as per Nielsen. On the other hand, LIV Golf’s season-opener last season raked in 3.2M viewers, its highest. That, of course, dwindled down as the season progressed before the upstart league stopped reporting the numbers.

It’s not lost on the LIV Golf Commander-in-Chief that some aspects of the game have also irked many fans. If the breakaway league wants to find success in Vegas, it has to carve a niche among traditional fans. Additionally, the Great White Shark’s plan to cut down on the blaring DJs seems to be part of a larger plan as LIV Golf looks to complete the deal with the PGA Tour and become more mainstream.

Where is the LIV Golf and PGA Tour Merger headed?

The time that PGAT took to finalize a deal with SSG evinces how complicated the merger with LIV Golf is going to be. There are long-standing issues that need to be addressed. The players are already divided on how to assimilate the stars who have bolted. 

While Rory McIlroy has given up on the idea of repercussions, Rickie Fowler still feels every choice has consequences. Jordan Spieth, who replaced McIlroy in the Tour Policy Board, acknowledged the sharp divide that exists within the Tour. 

Read More: How to Watch 2024 LIV Golf Mayakoba: TV Schedule, Live Stream, and More

Spieth himself would like the Tour to walk with SSG only. Let’s also not forget that Greg Norman doesn’t have many fans on the Tour as well. It’s a tough climb for both Jay Monahan and Yasir Al-Rumayyan as they seek to reach a breakthrough before April.

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