LIV Golf "Strips" TV Crews Of Benefits As Ratings Sour
Saudi-backed LIV Golf "stripped" broadcast workers of healthcare and other benefits by shifting to a non-union production company and circumventing the need to provide employee benefits. The move is an ominous sign the second season of the golf league, stacked with ex-PGA stars, struggles to garner enough viewership to even compete with the PGA Tour.
According to a statement from The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), a labor union representing workers in the entertainment and TV production industries, LIV Golf "shocked" broadcast workers by "pulling the rug out from under them by shifting to a non-union production company and circumventing the need to provide important employee benefits."
"As it stands, the technicians behind LIV Golf's telecasts are some of the few in major sports who do not receive health and retirement benefits when providing world-class coverage," IATSE wrote.
The sudden change comes as LIV Golf's TV ratings cratered for the second time at its latest event in Tucson, Arizona.
Golf blog No Laying Up's Kevin Van Valkenburg tweeted that LIV's Tucson event over the weekend scored a .14 rating in the 18-49 demographic across 33 markets from their event on Saturday. That's a worse rating than last month's event which the "World's Funniest Animals" show had more viewers.
Have an update on LIV Golf ratings for the Tucson event. According to a source, it scored a 0.14 overnight rating in 33 markets from Saturday. https://t.co/cyFNrDBDIj
— Kevin Van Valkenburg (@KVanValkenburg) March 19, 2023
LIV suffers not just from dismal viewership but enormous overhead as the season is expected to cost the Saudi Arabian Government's Public Investment Fund (PIF) a whopping billion dollars.
Even though PIF has tremendous wealth, there's no telling how long they will continue with this shaky venture.
Some broadcaster workers told IATSE they gave up stable jobs with good benefits -- now LIV's future is uncertain.
"I gave up other work last year to commit to LIV because I knew I would receive much-needed healthcare contributions to keep my family in coverage," said one crewmember. "But now that's all changed, there seems to be plenty of money to spend on extravagant excess but not to guarantee the crew that puts their product on the air access to healthcare. These are industry standards, and the LIV executives could care less."
Another broadcast worker said:
"I'm in the twilight of my 30+ plus year career broadcasting golf, and I am losing much-needed retirement contributions, that I was counting on to keep me on track to reach my retirement goals," said a veteran broadcast technician. "At this phase of my life, I must continue to save as much as possible to retire at an appropriate age."
One Twitter user said the IATSE statement "sounds like a human rights violation. I'm sure no one expected this from the Saudis."
Sounds like a human rights violation. I'm sure no one expected this from the Saudis.
— SportsFanNoypi (@DeyAlcalde) March 20, 2023
Will LIV make it to a third season?
Ominous signs after this second tournament; enormous overheads, no one watching and biggest players down the leaderboard.
— Arthur MacMillan (@arthurmacmillan) March 20, 2023
LIV showing signs it’s going to die - and maybe by end of this season. Second album syndrome may be so bad there isn’t a third.
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