No gambling. No doping. Moderate alcohol consumption is permitted at post-tournament parties.
The LIV Golf circuit may look great and make a lot of money, but its not. Greg NormanThere are many rules and regulations for tour operators who are not accompanied by a guide.
On Monday, a California federal court released the rules and regulations. U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman granted part of the PGA Tours motion for LIV Golfs rules, regulations, and contracts with players to be unsealed on Sept. 1. She ruled LIV Golf had the right to keep financial terms and personal information confidential, but she ordered the plaintiffs submit publicly redacted documents.
Here are some highlights
Golfers who play well may be able to extend their contracts
Talor GoochThe court received a heavily redacted copy ofs contract. Gooch was one the three LIV golfers who unsuccessfully sought a temporary restraining orders from Freeman to participate in the PGA Tours FedEx Cup playoffs. In the publicly available version, financial terms and other personal information were blacked out. Gooch signed a two year contract with LIV Golf for the 2022-23 seasons. ESPN reported Tuesday that the 2027 season was the longest period of a contract between a player or LIV Golf.
The contract states that Gooch is an independent contractor and that nothing in the Agreement can be construed as evidence that the League Operator (or Team Operator) is an employer, joint-employer and/or coemployer of a Player.
The contract states that Gooch will not be subject to relegation after the 2025 season and that he has the option to extend the contract by finishing in a specific place in the individual points standings. The court released the contract with no details about where Gooch had to finish in the standings.
Mentions of anti-doping policies
The rules and regulations prohibit players from having dealings with persons whose activities involve trafficking or administering substances or methods that are prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency or other forms.
There are also references to LIV Golfs performance-enhancing drugs policy and substance abuse policy throughout the rules and regulations. There are separate dispute resolution procedures for these violations, according to the rules. Players are prohibited from consuming alcohol or banned substances on-course. However, moderate and responsible drinking of alcohol after competitions and at social functions is allowed.
ESPN was told Tuesday by a LIV Golf source, that the new league hasn’t yet implemented a drug policy. It isn’t testing players for banned substances or recreational drug use. The source stated that the circuit hopes to have such an initiative by the 2023 season. They also fully intend to drug test their players.
The PGA Tour Players Handbook and Regulation says that all contestants in PGA TOUR events are subject to the terms and conditions of the PGA TOUR Anti-Doping Program.
LIV golfers could be fined upto $50,000
The rules and regulations provide a solid disciplinary plan for LIV players. A player will be notified by interim writing if there is an investigation into alleged wrongdoing. This notice will contain a description of the violation and any supporting evidence. A player will be given 10 days to provide a written explanation and mitigation factors.
LIV Golf will then send a final written notice. A standard appeal process is available for more serious violations. The player can appeal against the ruling. LIV Golf has the power to temporarily suspend a person during an appeal.
Sanctions may include a reprimand, censure, publication in the players newsletter, fines of between $1,000 and $50,000 and suspension from tournaments.
There are three types if penalties for the PGA Tour. They are minor (fine under $10,000), intermediate (10,001 and $20,000 with suspension of no more then three tournaments), and major ($20,000 plus suspension of more tournaments and/or permanent exclusion from Tour).
LIV Golf owns players on-course media rights
The rules and regulations provide that all rights related to all content created, captured, recorded, or otherwise generated during the Series or any other events run in conjunction or under the auspices, LIV Golf are granted and assigned to LIV Golf.
Although players media rights around tournaments are the property and expressly reserved to LIV Golf , the regulations dont restrict in anyway a Players rights to sell, transfer or hold, exploit his individual media rights and, accordingly the value of his name and image.
Goochs contract states that he further accepts that the League Operator possesses the exclusive and unrestricted Right in Perpetual (including after termination this Agreement) of using his name, image, and likeness.
LIV Golf sources stated that any activity a player makes in or around tournaments is their property for the duration of the circuit. LIV Golf has no restrictions on the players participation in an event or another tour event once he leaves. He owns and controls all media rights.
Six-time major champion Phil MickelsonLIV Golf player Jeremy Sullivan was among the first to defect to LIV Golf. He said that the PGA Tours obnoxious glutt regarding players media rights was why he was looking to play elsewhere.
Mickelson said to Golf Digest in February that its not public information, all that goes on. But the players don’t have access to their media. If the tour wanted end to any threat [from Saudi or anywhere else]They could simply give back media rights to the players. They would rather give back the $20 billion they control in digital assets than throw $25 million here, $40 million there. Or they can give up their $50-plus million a year revenue from their media channel.
He said, There are many problems, but this is the most important. Its not enough for them to have access to hundreds of millions digital moments. They also have access, which I dont have, to my photos. They charge companies for shots they have taken. They also demanded $1 million each time I did The Match, which has been five times. To protect my media rights. This type of greed is to me beyond offensive. LIV golf still controls the shots Mickelson referred to in its tournaments. LIV players have more freedom in competing in other circuits.
Players who are injured still get paid
A player who withdraws from a LIV golf tournament after hitting at minimum one shot will be awarded 50% of the prize money ($60,000), but not individual points. A player who pulls out of a LIV Golf tournament after the first round will not receive points but the full amount for last-place finisher ($60,000). The players team would compete as a three-man team.
Participation in team competitions is still possible for disqualified players
A player who is disqualified in an individual competition because he used an illegal club or has too many clubs in his bag, or signed an incorrect scorecard, may still compete in the Team competition for any round after the round in question. A teams score cannot include the players score from the round in question.
The LIV Golf circuit does not allow gambling
LIV Golf rules and regulations prohibit gambling. They also require full compliance with anti-corruption and code of conduct provisions. Each participant agrees that they will not gamble, directly or indirectly, in connection with any Tournament or event or any other competition or match. Furthermore, they will not manipulate or unlawfully influence any results and statistics.
Players are also forbidden to provide any nonpublic information to anyone for wagering or gambling purposes. Players who do so will be immediately disciplined and expelled permanently from LIV golf events.
According to the rules and regulations, a player cannot have any financial interest in the performance or winnings of another player in any Tournament sanctioned or approved by LIV Golf or the Asian Tour, or any other regulatory body. This includes purse splitting, Prize money insurance , financial assistance, bets, and prize money insurance. Players must give their best effort in competition and cannot bribe, gift or pay, reward, or otherwise give anything of worth to any Player with an intention to influence his or her efforts in a tournament or similar event.
LIV players are required to report to Norman any known or suspected bribes, gifts, payments, rewards or other offers for anything of value or any agreement or acceptance of a bet.
Retired LIV golfers still have work
Goochs contract stipulates that a LIV player must continue to comply with all reasonable non-playing requests made by the League Operator or Team Operator regarding the League or team, including duties related to team captaincy, promotion, media obligations, attendance at events, and wearing and displaying Team Apparel.
LIV Golf wants to expand the game
Rule 9.14, the last item in the rules and regulations states that All players are allowed to participate in as broad and varied a cross-section as global golf events as is possible, as long as such participation doesnt interfere with the Players obligations to LIV Golf. LIV golfers cannot play in any other tournaments if it conflicts with LIV Tour events. They don’t have to get conflicting-event releases for Norman, as PGA Tour players do for other non-PGA Tour events.
The rules and regulations state that the League considers participation in Other Events to be a major benefit for the promotion of golf worldwide.
Other events include The Open, The Masters, U.S. Open and Ryder Cup.