2/2
(Reuters) – The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter, that both Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ) and Apple Inc (NASDAQ) have passed the media rights to the LIV Golf Tournament.
Critics said LIV Golf, backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, amounts to “sports laundering” by a country trying to improve its reputation in the face of criticism over its human rights record.
Apple and Amazon’s lack of interest in the circuit adds to a growing list of networks with which LIV has been unable to strike a deal, including Walt Disney The report added (NYSE: Co’s ESPN and Comcast Corp (NASDAQ :)’s NBC). (https://on.wsj.com/3S1T8R4)
Amazon, Apple and Live did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.
The PGA Tour, the organizer of the major professional men’s golf tours in North America, has suspended members who participated in the competing LIV Arena. Earlier this month, the PGA Tour notified these players that they would not be eligible to renew their memberships for the 2022-23 season.
