Atlanta Falcons owner and PGA Tour investor Arthur Blank, 81, has made a claim that will ruffle feathers on the lucrative LIV Golf League.
Arthur Blank, the owner of the Atlanta Falcons and an investor in the PGA Tour, has made a statement that is likely to provoke some controversy at LIV Golf.
In an interview with FrontOfficeSports, the billionaire, who is currently 81 years old, asserted that the opposing league consists of merely seven of the world’s top players.
Blank is a participant in the consortium called Strategic Sports Group, which has recently made a $3 billion agreement with the North American circuit.
A consequence of this was the establishment of a new organization named PGA Tour Enterprises, which is a profit-oriented entity with a worth of $12 billion.
Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, among other top players in the Tour, are expected to be granted a sum of $1.5 billion in both immediate and prospective shares.
This is how it will happen. The large agreement also permits Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, who supports LIV, to potentially become minority investors in the future.
But that will attract a great deal of scrutiny from the US government and may not ever happen.
Recently it has been debated whether the PGA Tour even wants that to happen.
Should no deal come to pass, the divide in men’s professional golf would likely continue with no end in sight.
Perhaps even more major champions plus current and future PGA Tour stars could be targeted by LIV?
Not that Blank is concerned by LIV’s threat.
He told the publication: “Of the top 100 players in the world, I think there’s seven on [LIV]. So keep it all in perspective.”
LIV fans will be quick to remind Blank that the breakaway has two of 2023’s major champions in Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka.
And they’ll likely implore Blank to consider the fact they deem the Official World Golf Ranking no longer relevant or fit for purpose.
Afterall, is it accurate to say that Dustin Johnson is the true World No. 231?!
There are other ranking systems out there which appear to be far more reasonable in calculating players’ rankings in 2024.
For example, Data Golf suggests LIV have 18 of the top 100 players in the world.
The businessman didn’t seem enthusiastic about discussing the topic any further.
However, the Blank expressed that the transition of the established Tour from a non-profit to a for-profit model is regarded as a highly beneficial development for the game. He stated that during his meeting with the players, he emphasized that they were capable of receiving any desired amount of money, as the product was exceptional and held immense potential.
In selecting a partner, it is crucial to prioritize their ability to contribute to the growth of the Tour as a platform.
This entails being highly attentive to the valuable assets they can bring to the table, such as business expertise, life experiences, and a sports-oriented viewpoint.