Scott Van Pelt Disappointed At PGA Tour
Scott Van Pelt had quite the response to the PGA Tour’s merger with LIV Golf. In a fiery tweet, the SportsCenter host pretty much hit the nail on the head regarding this behind-the-scenes deal.
So, you preach loyalty to a tour and convince guys not to take 8 and 9 figure deals based, in part, on that loyalty and, in part, on the source of the money. Then those guys find out on Twitter YOU took the very same money?
— Scott Van Pelt (@notthefakeSVP) June 6, 2023
Nino Brown, “Always business, never personal.”
In theory, the move isn’t terrible. But this move is not theoretical. This was a cash grab by the PGA Tour, and commissioner Jay Monahan in particular. Many have echoed Van Pelt’s outrage, including the families of victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.
It must be a tough day to be one of the golfers who stood by the PGA Tour for months, forgoing millions of dollars in the process. Now, players wake up to news that they’re still joining up with LIV without a generational payday. Like Scott referenced, many people in sports have referred to the tough decisions as the “business” side of things. However, something like this can’t simply be played off.
Any Consequences?
Monahan and the Tour have received a considerable amount of public backlash and disagreement to the move. But will there be any real consequences?
The PGA is set to have a majority share of the new partnership, as the Saudi Public Investment Fund will spend untold riches to get the new tour on its feet. Fans, pundits and even players have all called for Monahan to resign as commissioner after using 9/11 as social currency on previous TV appearances.
Could the game of golf benefit from this merger? Absolutely, yes. All of the best golfers will now be playing together under the same competition once again. However, the optics surrounding all of it are downright BAD.
This is a day that will not be forgotten for a long while. The game of golf as we know it is pretty much dead, and now all eyes will be on what happens next.
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