LIV Golf Claims PGA Tour Executive 'Used Illegal Means' To Squash TV Deals

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LIV Golf did not have a TV deal in place for its inaugural season a year ago and according to new court documents, a PGA Tour executive had something to do with that reality.

As first reported by Front Office Sports, the court documents alleging that the PGA Tour interfered with LIV Golf acquiring a TV deal were filed in federal court late Wednesday night. The PGA Tour exec that LIV Golf is alleging had their hand in the situation is Theirry Pascal, the managing director of PGA Tour International UK and senior VP of international media.

Lawyers representing LIV Golf claim Pascal used "illegal means" to block any potential broadcast deals.

“Based on Tour documents and other sources, LIV believes Mr. Pascal used illegal means to dissuade numerous broadcasters in international markets from signing broadcast contracts with LIV and even from reporting about LIV events in their news content,” LIV lawyers wrote in the court filing.

“Time and again, after the live meeting or phone call, the broadcaster did an about-face and informed LIV the negotiations (in one case, a signed contract) could not proceed. Because of his conduct and his efforts to conceal it, Mr. Pascal is a foundational witness whose testimony will inform later discovery in important ways.”

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A source told Front Office Sports that the signed contract mentioned in the filing dates back to last year.

LIV Golf found a broadcasting partner as the Saudi-backed circuit announced a multiyear deal with The CW in January.

The ratings through the first two events of the LIV golf season have been nothing short of abysmal.

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Mark covers all sports at OutKick while keeping a close eye on the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and all other happenings in the world of golf. He graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga before earning his master's degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee. He somehow survived living in Knoxville despite ‘Rocky Top’ being his least favorite song ever written. Before joining OutKick, he wrote for various outlets including SB Nation, The Spun, and BroBible. Mark was also a writer for the Chicago Cubs Double-A affiliate in 2016 when the team won the World Series. He's still waiting for his championship ring to arrive. Follow him on Twitter @itismarkharris.