Premier Golf League Pleads With PGA Tour For Independent Valuation

The talk of breakaway leagues within golf has been writhe throughout 2022, with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series dominating proceedings. However, over the past week, the group behind the Premier Golf League (PGL) have also now become more vocal.

Recently, the PGL penned an explosive letter to PGA Tour players. Now, not long after that letter was sent out, the PGL have released a video on their Twitter page reiterating their stance, with the caption reading: "Under the proposals, the PGL will be worth $10billion+ by 2031 and half of that value will go to the voting members of the PGA Tour. Those voting members should ask the Policy Board to engage with us and publish an independent valuation."

In the tweet, PGL founder and CEO, Andy Gardiner, states: "We believe that change is likely to occur. I think that's the view of a lot of observers with what's going on in the sport right now. I find it difficult to imagine that golf will be the same in five years time as it was five years ago and I think change is already beginning and it's not just inevitable, it has begun.

He goes on to add: "We have spoken a lot over the last year about our desire to do this in collaboration with the PGA Tour. It's ultimately because it is such a good thing for the sport and it can be a good thing for all members of the PGA Tour. We are sending a letter via agents and via The PAC, so hopefully this one-page letter will give them a better idea, but time is marching on, golf is changing.

"What we are going to ask voting members to do is very simple. It is to compel the policy board to engage in a conversation with us. The second thing that should then happen is there should be an independent valuation of our proposal. We're saying that it is worth $10 billion by 2030-31, and we are saying that half of that value will go to the voting members of the PGA Tour. There are roughly 250 of those so that is $20 million of value per voting member, plus value for Korn Ferry Tour and DP World members."

According to the PGL's website, the proposed ownership would stand at 50% for professional golfers, tournament operators and fans, with the other half lying with PGL founders and stakeholders. On the website, it also states: "We ideally want the League to be a joint venture, unifying and uniting golf’s community for the good of the game."

Aiming to launch in early 2023, the PGL proposes individual and team golf running alongside one another with 18 events each calendar year. The format will consist of 12 four-man teams in 54-hole, no cut, stroke play tournaments.