Martee

Apples and oranges. MCI sued AT&T in 1974 for not allowing to interconnect with their existing lines. AT&T lost the lawsuit in 1980 and then agreed to breakup which took place in 1982. I was there from 1979.

CEO Charlie Brown agreed to the breakup and forming the RBOC’s (baby bells) on a golf course. Lol. Years later he regretted doing it.

In this case here. The Saudi’s have plenty of money to compete with the PGA Tour. No one is stopping them. The Saudi’s have no basis for a lawsuit. It would be the players who sue. Because they want their cake and eat it too.

IMO it’ll all come down to whether the PGA can set rules for their members playing in competing events. That’s the central issue I believe if it even goes to court.

      Sneakylong set rules for their members playing in competing events

      I want to see it explained as to how I must be a member of an organization, yet am not an employee until I enter a tournament....but....I have to abide by the rules of membership and cannot 'work' elsewhere without consequences, or 'permission'.

      I think this is what the court is also going to want to know.

      It reeks of a monopoly, by definition......
      A monopoly is a market with the "absence of competition", creating a situation where a specific person or enterprise is the only supplier of a particular thing.

          Interestingly, the Rocket Mortgage Classic is coming here soon and the TV advertising is showing Bryson and Rickie? A Little false advertising there

          garyt1957 He has. I have nothing against him and wish him all the best. I doubt he's going to help draw many people in since he's mostly been under the radar. Who knows? Maybe he'll catch fire and go on a winning streak and generate all kinds of buzz. Sometimes a small change can do wonders.

              Par4QC

              Here’s a good read. They cite 3 legal issues. 1. The PGA Tour’s suspension of players. 2. Reactions of other golf leagues and the majors to the PGA Tour suspensions. 3. Who could sue? I picked out a paragraph that I agree with. lol

              Antitrust cases can last for as long as 5 or 10 years so even if some person or entity sues, it may take a long time for the case to be resolved.

              Legal issues to observe in the PGA Tour-LIV Golf rivalry
              BY CRAIG SEEBALD AND ANNABELLE CASTLEMAN
              Monday, July 11, 2022

              "But the PGA Tour has some good arguments that it is not a monopolist and that it is well within its rights to enforce its association rules to maintain the loyalty of its players. In particular, the tour can argue that there are many other professional golf tours throughout the world, that the PGA Tour does not even control the major tournaments in golf (such as the Masters) and that the initial success of the LIV tour undercuts any notion of monopoly power."

              https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/SB-Blogs/COVID19-OpEds/2022/07/11-Seebald.aspx#:~:text=But%20the%20PGA%20Tour%20has,the%20loyalty%20of%20its%20players..

                  One thing is clear in all this. It is very very unlikely that Monahan survives this.

                  That said, I'm not sure any commissioner or ceo would survive something like this. This is essentially a hostile takeover.

                  I certainly didn't see it leading to the point it is now. I knew there would be some guys who'd go with this because all they care about is money. But I certainly overestimated the decent loyalty of quite a few.

                  Every port of call has nests of whores on the nearby street corners.

                    @"PA-PLAYA"#p263440But I certainly overestimated the decent loyalty of quite a few.

                    Why do you think they should feel any sense of loyalty? The PGA is practically a monopoly. If a player is good enough to play on the world stage, and wants to earn big bucks doing so (prior to LIV) they had to sign whatever agreement the PGA put before them. More than a few who have jumped ship have expressed their belief that their deal with the PGA was less than "fair". Would you feel indebted, or loyalty, to an organization which you believe treated you unfairly?

                    I don't understand the loyalty expectations completely. These players earned their way thru the amateur events, mini-tours and eventually the big show by individual performance. It's not like the PGA Tour hired them based on a resume, trained and developed them, promoted them, etc. The player's earnings came from sponsors and TV $. What has the PGA invested in them that creates an expectation of loyalty?

                      sdandrea1 I agree. The players have to achieve a certain amount to even be able to essentially sign a non-compete agreement.

                      Not quite apples to apples, but the PGA Tour lured away many of the rest of the world's greatest players by paying more money for tournament wins and now LIV is luring players away by.......paying more money period. IMO the Tour should do nothing, but make sure that they offer the best place to work so that they get the best talent.....like actual companies have to do.

                          Eguller The PGA provides the venue, stage, $$$ and the opportunity to play for those $$$ if you qualify.

                          That's not an investment in the players. It's the method they use to support their charities and their extravagant salaries/benefits.

                            KCee IMO the Tour should do nothing, but make sure that they offer the best place to work so that they get the best talent.....like actual companies have to do.

                            Yep. They're over-reacting. They appear desperate.

                              Eguller The PGA provides the venue, stage, $$$ and the opportunity to play for those $$$ if you qualify.

                              And now someone else is providing another avenue to all that. The PGA was the only place to go for those players for a long time. Much like the NBA and then along came the ABA which gave players another avenue to showcase their skills. Or the NFL and the AFL. Competition is a good thing for the worker.

                                  Sneakylong that the PGA Tour does not even control the major tournaments in golf (such as the Masters)

                                  I suppose I'd need to check the qualifications for entering each of those Majors, but I believe all would hinge on a 'membership', as the base. For next year's events( Majors), it looks like the entry requirements might be set, due to 'finishing placements' from this year's events, except PGA Championship. But after that, no, the LIV players will essentially be barred from entry, unless they do get an invitation(Masters). I'm doubting those folks will invite from LIV Tour, in 2024. They would have to 'recognize' that tour's backers in the process.

                                  The whole shitball about LIV....is political. Like we didn't know that already.

                                    PA-PLAYA overestimated the decent loyalty of quite a few.

                                    Loyalty to family always comes 1st, not to any organization, 'job', etc..
                                    I've always respected your thoughts in your posts pertaining to such.

                                      garyt1957 And now someone else is providing another avenue to all that. The PGA was the only place to go for those players for a long time.

                                      There are numerous professional tours all over the world for those skilled enough..... ask Koepka as an example.

                                          https://www.golfchannel.com/news/padraig-harrington-has-no-empathy-henrik-stenson-new-euro-captain-pretty-soon

                                          Paddy's take on Hendrik Stenson reneging on his contractual obligations to the Ryder Cup.

                                          https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/golf/stewart-cink-suggests-europe-s-passion-for-ryder-cup-a-sham-after-liv-defections/ar-AAZPyOV

                                          Then we have Stewart Cink calling out European Ryder Cup players passion as a sham after defecting to LIV.