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Saudi World Golf Tour 2022/2023 Thread

The LIV players pleading is interesting reading. It's written as if the aggrieved party is the LIV Tour rather than the players. Naturally, because the LIV Tour (Saudis) are fronting the legal fees. Also, among the elements that the players must prove to win is "irreparable harm" if they don't play in the PGAT Fed Ex playoffs. These are "pro" golfers, which means they play golf for money. Each of the players has made more money from playing a couple of LIV exhibitions than they ever would have made over the next decade on the PGAT. Hard to see the "harm" the players have suffered or will suffer when their bank accounts are flush from the Saudi money grab.

As mack put it, incredible irony that the Saudis are trying to use anti-trust law to takedown the PGAT. Anyone proposing an antitrust law in Saudi would be body bag.

Irreparable harm is harm that cannot be compensated by money. Sometimes the most sure-fire defense to an injunction is that one can quantify an injury in dollars. Here, if these players compete in the FedEx Cup, they might win a lot, a little, or no money depending on how they play. So their damages are speculative. I don't know what the Court does there, but I would bet they argue they cannot be adequately compensated by damages because of the speculative element.

Otherwise, I am no anti-trust lawyer either, but anti-competitive conduct such as non-competition restrictions generally stand if they comport with applicable law. Florida law may apply due to the PGA Tour's headquarters' presence there and whatever the players agree to by contract, and Florida courts routinely uphold non-competes. California does not permit similar restrictions, however. Sounds like they are making the anti-competitive argument from additional conduct (e.g., collusion with DP, majors, etc.). Should be an interesting legal battle, but these LIV guys do look like a bunch of whiny brats, that is for sure.
 
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On of the worst things my boomer friends and I unleashed on American society was the idea of " participation trophies". Where your kid finished dead last, but got a ribbon. Your kid would throw it in the trash cuz they knew. In a nutshell, this is LIV Golf.
 
On of the worst things my boomer friends and I unleashed on American society was the idea of " participation trophies". Where your kid finished dead last, but got a ribbon. Your kid would throw it in the trash cuz they knew. In a nutshell, this is LIV Golf.

Yeah, it's like most of the guys could give a crap if they win one of those tournaments as much as they're getting paid anyway. You think Pat Perez is going to put the time in his game now when there is no cut and he's getting a big check no matter where he finishes?
 
I have no idea how the court will rule on this, but if PGA Tour players are classified as independent contractors, they may lose this lawsuit. I am not sure how the PGA is a monopoly since it is not disallowing players to leave for the LIV. But if golfers are merely independent contractors, they are free to play wherever they want.

I don't know how LIV is structured, but I assume LIV players are employees if they are being paid upfront to play and they must play in all of the events.

In any event, I hope the PGA prevails. It seems unfair that players can leave for LIV, get paid millions to do nothing, then play on the PGA Tour after LIV's season is over.
 
Yeah, it's like most of the guys could give a crap if they win one of those tournaments as much as they're getting paid anyway. You think Pat Perez is going to put the time in his game now when there is no cut and he's getting a big check no matter where he finishes?

Pat Perez is going to do well because he's on the 4 Aces !
 
Not only would it be unfair, it would incentivize players to leave for LIV.
 
I have no idea how the court will rule on this, but if PGA Tour players are classified as independent contractors, they may lose this lawsuit. I am not sure how the PGA is a monopoly since it is not disallowing players to leave for the LIV. But if golfers are merely independent contractors, they are free to play wherever they want.

I don't know how LIV is structured, but I assume LIV players are employees if they are being paid upfront to play and they must play in all of the events.

In any event, I hope the PGA prevails. It seems unfair that players can leave for LIV, get paid millions to do nothing, then play on the PGA Tour after LIV's season is over.

They are independent contractors and they can play anywhere they want. As long as they meet the requirements for membership. It’s the same rules for every player. Otherwise, I think I would just turn pro and play in next week’s PGA Tour event.
 
Not only would it be unfair, it would incentivize players to leave for LIV.

Yep. Which is why the PGA Tour has membership clauses to disincentivize the players.

The one thing I keep having in the back of my mind is the following. And I don’t really think a tour event would do this out of loyalty to the PGA Tour. But what’s to prevent a tour even from giving Mickelson or others special no-member exemptions/invitations into their field. Maybe the PGA Tour is allowed to approve all event exemptions/invitations. Not sure. Someone tell me I’m stupid please for thinking this is a possibility.
 
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I have no idea how the court will rule on this, but if PGA Tour players are classified as independent contractors, they may lose this lawsuit. I am not sure how the PGA is a monopoly since it is not disallowing players to leave for the LIV. But if golfers are merely independent contractors, they are free to play wherever they want.

I don't know how LIV is structured, but I assume LIV players are employees if they are being paid upfront to play and they must play in all of the events.

In any event, I hope the PGA prevails. It seems unfair that players can leave for LIV, get paid millions to do nothing, then play on the PGA Tour after LIV's season is over.

Independent contractors can agree not to do things such as compete with the contracting entity that pays them. Nothing stops them from doing that, and they can be held to it just the same as an employee or anyone else.
 
Yep. Which is why the PGA Tour has membership clauses to disincentivize the players.

The one thing I keep having in the back of my mind is the following. And I don’t really think a tour event would do this out of loyalty to the PGA Tour. But what’s to prevent a tour even from giving Mickelson or others special no-member exemptions/invitations into their field. Maybe the PGA Tour is allowed to approve all event exemptions/invitations. Not sure. Someone tell me I’m stupid please for thinking this is a possibility.

It would be against the interest of the Wyndham event say to allow a Matt Jones to play on a sponsor's exemption this week. He's part of a renegade group who has declared war on the PGA and its events. He has helped to attempt to devalue PGA and DP events, which could negatively affect future purses. I think it's safe to say the folks who run the various PGA events want nothing to do with the LIV folks.
 
It would be against the interest of the Wyndham event say to allow a Matt Jones to play on a sponsor's exemption this week. He's part of a renegade group who has declared war on the PGA and its events. He has helped to attempt to devalue PGA and DP events, which could negatively affect future purses. I think it's safe to say the folks who run the various PGA events want nothing to do with the LIV folks.

Well, I know they wouldn't invite Matt Jones. There's only about 5 people in the world that have heard of him. But Phil might be a different story. I can see where the Phoenix event for instance might like Phil in the field even though i know they sell out anyway. Then maybe a Greensboro or John Deere etc. would want to get him in the field. Even Bryson maybe.
 
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Well, I know they wouldn't invite Matt Jones. There's only about 5 people in the world that have heard of him. But Phil might be a different story. I can see where the Phoenix event for instance might like Phil in the field even though i know they sell out anyway. Then maybe a Greensboro or John Deere etc. would want to get him in the field. Even Bryson maybe.

I would be surprised if any local site would do that, even for a big name like Phil or DJ. They're partners with the PGA and wouldn't want to piss off Jay.
 
More irony. People talk about what venue LIV has the best chance to win a lawsuit against the monopolistic practices of the PGA. A better question. Where does every human being on the face of the Earth go to sue against the monopolistic practices of Saudi led OPEC?
 
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