Fox recently unveiled its eagerly awaited LIV Golf broadcast schedule, revealing key developments for fans. Following last month’s announcement of a new media rights agreement with Fox Sports, which allows “over 50%” of LIV Golf rounds to be aired on Fox or FS1, golf enthusiasts now have a clearer view of the full lineup. According to David Rumsey of Front Office Sports, FS1 will provide 84.5 hours of coverage (41%), FS2 will feature 51 hours (24%), Fox will contribute 46 hours (22%), the Fox Sports app will offer 22 hours of exclusive coverage (11%), and Fox Business Network will air 5 hours (2%).
With 78% of tournament windows available on either cable or streaming, it remains uncertain if LIV’s partnership with Fox will translate to increased viewership. Nevertheless, the circuit appears to be making strategic moves to enhance its visibility. The last three weeks of LIV’s season will align with the PGA Tour’s postseason tournaments, creating a unique competitive scenario not seen in previous seasons. LIV has astutely scheduled some final round broadcasts earlier than the PGA Tour’s coverage. For instance, on Aug. 10, the LIV Chicago final round will commence at 1 p.m. ET on Fox, an hour prior to the PGA Tour’s main coverage of the St. Jude Championship. A week later, LIV Indianapolis will start at noon ET, allowing a two-hour head start over the PGA Tour’s BMW Championship coverage.
The following week, LIV’s Team Championship will take a different approach by extending its broadcast an hour beyond the usual end of the PGA Tour’s Tour Championship, ensuring viewers don’t miss a moment. These clever decisions by Fox and LIV are likely to spark a channel-surfing effect among golf fans, as they toggle between Fox and CBS during these critical seasons. By staggering event times to avoid complete overlaps with the PGA Tour, LIV seeks to avoid being overshadowed.
However, the overall availability of LIV Golf on cable—particularly on the lesser-watched FS2—could hinder the league’s viewership this season. During its previous agreement with The CW, LIV secured two guaranteed broadcast slots each week, whereas now only 22% of its coverage will be on broadcast, although it’s on the larger Fox network. The success of the Saudi-funded golf league in drawing viewers to FS1 and FS2 will ultimately determine the effectiveness of the new deal.
What stands out is the significant thought put into event scheduling. This week, players will be teeing off at night in Riyadh to cater to U.S. television audiences, with two of those rounds airing on FS2. LIV Golf is pulling out all the stops; it remains to be seen if these efforts will pay off.
