This week the sports world witnessed a groundbreaking merger between three major golf organisations – the PGA Tour, LIV Golf and the DP World Tour.
The merger itself has generated significant attention across global sports media outlets, deeming the collaboration a historic step in what has been a turbulent yet revolutionary few years for the world of golf.
What is clear is the PGA Tour made the strategic decision to unify with its former rival, citing the need for a unified effort and the potential commercial benefits that come with such a partnership.
As we wait to see what unfolds over the coming days, weeks and months from those that weren’t privy to the boardroom discussions, the global reaction has been mixed. Regardless of the outcome, no recent sports story has commanded more attention than the axis between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.
Ultimately, this is a great thing for the global interest of the game of golf. There is no doubt that this will turn what is already a giant commercial engine within the sports world into a corporate behemoth.
More money, more opportunities
There will be more money, there will be more opportunities for fans to watch the game, and there will be more opportunities for sponsors to reach their audience globally given the impending wider acceptance across different markets.
The average golf fan will most likely welcome the news, excited at the prospect of adding new flavours to what has been evidently a rather bland consumer-facing product for far too long.
The idea of introducing a variation of different formats to the game, including the team-based dynamic, shotgun starts, is certainly going to be the injection the traditional but fatigued tours need.
The game’s top marketeers have been exploring innovative ways to capture the younger audience for the best part of a decade, and with the introduction of new styles of play potentially in the mix, we’ll be sure to see a resurgence in numbers from the younger fan.
The Middle East has been at the centre of most major sporting headlines over the last few years. The vision and plans put in place by the region’s leaders, positions sport at the top of the list of priorities as it looks towards a future fueled by a post-carbon economy.
Middle East investment
In recent years, Middle Eastern stakeholders have invested heavily in marquee sport assets across football, motorsport, cricket, tennis and more to gain a prominent position in the global sporting calendar. This reached a pinnacle in Qatar in 2022 with the world’s eyes drawn to the FIFA World Cup, hosted for the first time in the Middle East region.
As the region cements itself as a hub for sport and entertainment, we expect to see the Middle East’s sport events industry continue to grow. The emerging sport landscape is also likely to prompt growth
in sport audiences, fans and participation across the Middle East, sparking new opportunities for private and institutional investors to invest in assets closer to home.
By Jamie Hosie, Managing Partner, DUNE | 23 – a marketing and communications agency focusing on sports and entertainment
