LIV Golf Failed Because It Couldn't Manufacture Fan Attachment Despite Massive Investment
Source: Zach Helfand. "LIV Golf Is Dying of Boredom | The New Yorker." April 23, 2026. www.newyorker.com
The Gist
LIV Golf is failing because the Saudis spent billions trying to create a golf league but forgot that sports fans need to actually care about the teams and players. No amount of money can force people to become emotionally invested in artificial teams with silly names when the players themselves don't seem to care much about winning.
Conclusion
LIV Golf is dying because it fundamentally misunderstood that sports success requires genuine fan attachment, which cannot be manufactured with money alone
Premises
- LIV Golf lost staggering amounts of money (UK entity alone: $65M revenue vs $525M expenses in 2024)
- The league failed to create meaningful fan engagement - attendees did everything except watch golf
- The team concept was artificial and inauthentic (sham draft, consultant-style branding, no organic loyalty)
- Players appeared to lack genuine competitive motivation, making the stakes feel empty
- Saudi Arabia found better ways to achieve their strategic goals (Trump connections, business relationships) without LIV
- The Saudi Public Investment Fund is pulling funding due to economic pressures and poor returns
- Unlike established sports franchises with captive fan bases, LIV had no pre-existing emotional connection to build upon
Assumptions
- Fan attachment and emotional investment are essential for sports entertainment success
- Authentic competition requires players who desperately want to win
- Sports franchises succeed because fans are 'captives' with family-like loyalty
- Money alone cannot create the cultural and emotional foundations that make sports compelling
- LIV was primarily a business venture rather than pure sportswashing