LIV Golf Cuts Premium App Streaming Services

LIV Golf signage — (Image credit: Getty Images)

LIV Golf has made a "strategic decision" to cut some of its streaming broadcast technology for the rest of the season.

CEO Scott O'Neill has continually said LIV Golf will have to change as a business if it's to secure funding beyond this season.

And cutting costs will be top of the list, with massive debts run up while under the funding umbrella of the Saudi PIF.

With the Saudis pulling out after the current season, one of the first changes made by LIV Golf is to drop some of the premium streaming facilities usually available.

As the tournament in Korea teed off, the LIV app features to watch a particular group, particular team and the 'Any Shot, Any Time' stream were all unavilable.

LIV Golf later confirmed to the Sports Business Journal that these streams had been dropped intentionally, and in fact had been cut for the rest of the season.

The stream cuts come as LIV Golf "evaluates its operations and production model" according to the SBJ.

LIV Golf to refund app users

It's not known how much these three streams cost to operate, but it's a fair assumption that they've been dropped as part of O'Neill's plan to streamline the business and make it more sustainable.

Cutting these streams is a big blow for users of the app who have either spent the $59.99 for a year's access or the one-off $8.99 event pass.

With six events left of the season, including Korea, LIV Golf is now believed to be working on a plan to refund subscribers for losing these enhanced technologies.

It's a tough decision to make for the team golf tour, which had made technology a key differentiator from viewing a regular PGA Tour event.

The 'Any Shot, Any Time' feature in particular was seen as a big one, and a premium feature for any golf event - the PGA Tour launched one for The Players Championship in 2020 and The Masters app has been lauded for leading the way in this technology.

Viewers being able to see more of the golf is something LIV Golf has prided itself in so far, the high bar it has set may have to be lowered slightly in whatever shape it takes in the future.

Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website. Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.