Par4QC but I thought you had to be at $0 at year's end.
I think they are allowed to have several years of operating expenses tucked away. There are always many ways to spend money of course. If the execs salaries already look high, the organization can lease them all Mercedes cars and pay for expensive "retreats". There are varying definitions of profit.
So one of the things I enjoyed about the PGA Tour is that the players had to earn their paychecks. If they had a bad year they did not get paid as much(from the events). See if you would get a MLB, NFL MLB or NHL player to commit to that. I admired this aspect of the sport. With LIV this is no longer the case. I get it from a players perspective but as a fan, I have lost respect for those making the move to LIV.
Maybe professional golf has "Jumped the 
"
Mattyv the players had to earn their paychecks
Technically, yes, but in reality, that concept disappeared ages ago, when the big name sponsors started paying big money. The players are rich as long as the sponsors pay for outside the ropes commitments.
Fowler has done jack shit his entire career and he could live off what he has now, and then some, from Puma alone.
Also, I keep reading that LIV members have to "sign up" or sign a contract for a certain amount of events or years?
Does that mean if they don't live up to their billing, these contracts don't get renewed or offered up again?
As in, they lose their LIV tour card (as there is no publicly stated minimum standard of qualification so far) to be on that tour.
If so, they would certainly have to earn their next contract offer, just like all the Pro Sports basically do.
Spuzz Technically, yes, but in reality, that concept disappeared ages ago, when the big name sponsors started paying big money. The players are rich as long as the sponsors pay for outside the ropes commitments.
Fowler has done jack shit his entire career and he could live off what he has now, and then some, from Puma alone.
I think that you're selling Fowler short - yes, his recent play has been disappointing, but he has some significant achievements as a professional golfer, from earning his tour card through Q-school, to winning 5 events on the PGA Tour (and 2 more on the European Tour), representing the US on multiple Ryder and Presidents Cup teams, contending at several majors. He's been very successful at bringing money in through sponsorship (and probably more successful in that area than on the golf course), but he's made a pretty good living from his achievements on the golf course too.
(Info taken from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rickie_Fowler)
Most players have to earn the right to continue to play on Tour each year, but successful players end up earning significant exemptions, to the point where someone like Fowler whose level of play has dropped off will still have full playing rights for several years - any Tour win gives a 2-year exemption (or longer for multiple wins or victories in the most important tournaments), there are additional exemptions for players in the top 25 and top 50 of the career money list - and other ways to be able to play in events in addition to this (injury exemptions, sponsor invites, etc.) To give an extreme example, if Tiger Woods had been so significantly affected by his injuries after winning the US Open in 2008 that he was incapable of making a cut, he would have been fully exempt on the PGA Tour through the 2015 season (5 years for the US Open win, 2 additional years from his position on the career earnings list).
From the LIV Facebook page....
McIlroy reportedly signed to Nike for £80m per year, hasn’t won a major since. So he gets paid, regardless of performance. Tiger’s sponsorship outstrips everyone, yet performances are obviously never again going to warrant said income. Both eulogise about the competitive nature of the PGA, easy from an ivory tower. Players offered life changing sums to trade thier wares, should and will accept the payment, it’s just a form of sponsorship.
MartinD I think that you're selling Fowler short - yes, his recent play has been disappointing
That was my partly my point. Jack shit=No majors= not worthy of big sponsor money for on the course results.
With ZERO majors to keep his reputation alive and missing cuts more often than not, he is still making lots of money, due to his "marketability". If he was Matt Kuchar (double the wins) he would have had it cut off by now.
Being "eligible" to play means jack shit if you miss the cut more than you play the weekend.
sdandrea1 Golf is getting watered down from it's roots.
Speaking of watered down, how will the PGA "sprinkle" these new events into their schedule?
Does this mean other events that "unfortunately" fall before or after them, now get less of the big names in their fields?
What's the fall out from that?
Does the PGA "re-do" the event commitments of the big names to force them to play more often?
On the surface, these new events look like this would deter ship jumpers, but, if it "forces" players to play more often then what? LIV would still look more inviting.
Spuzz That was my partly my point. Jack shit=No majors= not worthy of big sponsor money for on the course results.
I think that we'll have to agree to disagree on this one - a player who has won multiple times, finished in the top 10 on the money list three times, contended in all of the majors several times and has made more than $40m in tournament earnings alone has done quite a bit more than 'jack shit' in my eyes. Ask any young player currently playing college golf or on the Korn Ferry Tour about what they hope to achieve as a golfer, and I suspect that pretty much all of them would be very happy to have the career that Rickie Fowler has had.
Par4QC - I remember observing some planning for an organization many years ago and there was a concern about the big bank balance earmarked for their reserves. They were able to show blue prints or an artist's rendition for a new headquarters building under discussion.That passed muster.
MartinD Ask any young player currently playing college golf or on the Korn Ferry Tour about what they hope to achieve as a golfer, and I suspect that pretty much all of them would be very happy to have the career that Rickie Fowler has had.
Perhaps. But would they want what he is going through now? Rickie is done, imo. Almost a mental case. Changed the swing, when everything as going well, and now, after 2 seasons, cannot find his way around any course. He will never get that back, sorry. How many of those kids are looking at that part of their future? Famous for a few years, a has-been for several? And just how long will Rickie continue to 'hang around'? If that is what they are looking at, and wanting, then it IS just about the money only.
If they are just going to be in it for a few years, and want max payout, they will go LIV, if given the offer. And they should.
Rickie needs an offer. Now.
Par4QC I was under the impression that he's already decided to go LIV.
https://progolfweekly.com/rickie-fowler-matthew-wolff-among-latest-names-to-join-liv-golf/
johnnydoom That was from 11 days ago, so they must not have been offered more than $1.98 per event. In present forms, all they are worth. 
