Stephen A. Smith doesn't like Tiger Woods meeting with tour players. There is a time and a place for it.
The antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour has been joined by a Saudi-funded golf club.
Lefty and DeChambeau are among seven players who are included in the lawsuit. Four people withdrew their names.
The amended complaint was filed in the district court. The three players who are still on the lawsuit sought a temporary restraining order to prevent them from playing in the playoffs.
Two weeks ago, the judge denied their request.
According to the lawsuit, the PGA Tour has unfairly suspended players and used monopoly power to squash competition.
Greg Norman said that the league would support the players in any legal action they took. The Saudi Arabian wealth fund is backing LIV Golf.
Without a favorable ruling, the ability to maintain a meaningful competitive presence in the markets will be destroyed.
According to LIV Golf, the PGA Tour's restrictions forced it to raise its costs to sign players and kept it from recruiting other people who don't want to be punished. The tour forced the launch of LIV Golf to be delayed and have a smaller schedule in its first year, according to it.
Signing fees that are reported to be worth $150 million or more are included in the prize money at each event. Three tournaments have been staged by LIV golf. Outside of Boston is the fourth.
The amended complaint states that while LIV Golf has launched its tour despite "supra competitive costs" and reduced access to players, it is not sustainable.
No releases are granted for North American events on the PGA Tour, and members need a conflicting event release to play abroad. There are five such events this year.
Most of the players who have been suspended by the tour are through March 24, 2024.
The judge denied the temporary restraining order because it didn't show irreparable harm because of how much money the players were making to sign and from prize money.
A trial date was set for January 8, 2024.
After the season ends on the PGA Tour on Sunday in Atlanta, LIV Golf is expected to sign as many as six more players.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
