LIV Golf launches charm offensive for landmark deal after Charles Barkley woes

LIV Golf is attempting to woo TNT and strike a landmark broadest deal for the breakaway tour, taking advantage of the network's imminent loss of NBA rights.

LIV was unable to seal a deal with a flagship broadcaster when it launched two years ago. Its events are screened on basic cable network The CW in the United States, and it received poor viewing figures for Sunday's finale at The Greenbrier as Brooks Koepka edged Jon Rahm in a dramatic playoff.

The CW attracted 165,000 viewers, significantly fewer than a pickleball tournament on FOX that attracted 295,00 viewers. The figures do not account for LIV's streaming viewership, but its audience remains much smaller than the PGA Tour, which had a relatively disappointing 2.2 million viewers on NBC for Sunday's final round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship.

LIV also struggled to strike broadcast arrangements internationally when it launched, with its events available for free on YouTube in most territories. But a deal with TNT, part of the Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) empire, would signal a big step forward in credibility for the Saudi Arabia-funded league.

LIV's broadcast rights are up for renewal ahead of next season and according to Puck News, talks are active with The CW, which is partly owned by WBD and Paramount. But Front Office Sports reports the broadcaster "baulked" at LIV's initial asking price, with talks continuing.

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Per the report, LIV has retained the services of internationally renowned sports agency CAA to handle its media rights and corporate sponsorship negotiations, and “preliminary” and “exploratory” talks are underway with TNT.

TNT will have a void in its content schedule midway through next year when the 2024/25 NBA season comes to an end. TNT has been synonymous with NBA broadcasting for decades but it lost a battle to retain its rights after its contract expires, with ESPN, NBC and Amazon Prime Video the league's partners moving forward.

The move is set to leave TNT's stellar cast of on-screen talent at a loose end after the end of the basketball season, notably Charles Barkley who has reacted angrily to TNT's failure to secure a contract extension.

Barkley, a former NBA MVP and a huge golf fan, was tempted to join LIV's on-screen talent when it launched in 2022 before deciding to stay with TNT, inking a new 10-year, $210 million contract in the process.

The 61-year-old has been a central part of TNT's broadcasts of the made-for-TV charity golf events dubbed "The Match", which have included the likes of Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady.

Should negotiations with TNT materialize in a deal, Barkley could be an asset for LIV, which has focused its strategy on captivating younger audiences rather than the traditional golf-watching demographic.

TNT has aggressively added other broadcasting rights to its portfolio since learning its arrangement with the NBA will end, including College Football Playoff games and live action from the Mountain West conference.