There is no certainty about the PGA Tour and PIF merger. But one thing is clear: LIV Golf will stay regardless of the way the merger goes. And there is a possibility that both tours will continue to exist separately. That might not be as bad as we think it is. 

In fact, LIV Golf Adelaide shows that both tours can not just coexist but also thrive. Two separate events going on during the same weekend mean more golf for fans to watch. While that might be a problem when both are going on stateside, the problem won’t arise when LIV plays in the global arena. Here is how that might work.

The PGA Tour and LIV Golf can have a shared viewership

LIV Golf Updates, a pro-LIV social media handle, tweeted that the Adelaide event shows how both Tours can live under the same sky. The grand affair at Adelaide kickstarts in a week when the PGA Tour has the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. But because of the huge time difference of 14.30 hours, there won’t be any overlap between the two.

That also eliminates the pecking order. Fans can enjoy both. ESPN+ will broadcast the featured groups on all four days, while Paramount+ will show CBS coverage. Additionally, Peacock simulcasts Golf Channel’s coverage of the Zurich Classic. On the other hand, LIV Adelaide will start at 11.15 a.m. local time (9.45 p.m. ET). LIV fans can watch the 54-hole tournament on LIV Golf+, the CW App, and Caffine TV.

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They further suggest that “the tour can carve out 4-6 weeks for domestic LIV events, and the remainder of the schedule can be overlapping in dates but not in times.”. The only problem seems to be the time zone difference. The PGA Tour’s World Golf Championship oftentimes received lower viewership numbers. The story is the same for the tournaments in the Far East as well as the LPGA Tour.

However, on a positive note, the international audience for golf is on the rise, as Arthur Blank recently noted. At the same time, tapping into markets where there is scope for growth is a viable revenue opportunity that Jay Monahan can also take note of.

LIV Golf Adelaide was a huge boost to the Australian economy 

Last year, LIV Golf Adelaide sold around 63,000 tickets. Spectators from 37 countries flocked to the Grange. This year, the number is expected to go up to over 70,000. Last year, the three-day showdown pumped $65 billion into the country’s economy. Over the weekend, a total of 77,076 people attended the event. 

The South Australian Premier, Peter Malinauskas, said, “LIV Golf delivered for South Australia, filling hotel rooms, restaurants and pumping $65 million into our state’s economy. With dates now set for 2024, I have no doubt there will be many excited fans from interstate and overseas booking their trip to South Australia.”

LIV Golf Adelaide’s success also started with a chain reaction. Phil Mickelson revealed earlier that the PIF-funded league had no plans of stopping in Singapore this season. But the country’s tourism board wanted to host a LIV event and even paid for that.