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The difference in money made while on the PGA Tour and as a member of LIV Golf is stark. LIV typically gives their players more money to sign on and has the promise of more money as tournament prize money.
Many that defected from the PGA cited the financial advantages of being on LIV. It's no secret that they have a lot of money to throw around.
In 2023, Greg Norman, the LIV Golf CEO, will give out over $400 million in prize money. Former President Donald Trump lauded the new league's compensation, according to the Palm Beach Post:
"It's big time and it's big time money. It's unlimited money. And it's different. You hear the music?"
The biggest draw to join LIV Golf is the money on offer and it's generally more money than any PGA Tour prize purse. How does it compare to other sports like the NFL or NBA?
How does LIV Golf's prize money compare to other major sports leagues?
While it does offer a lot more than other golf leagues, the money LIV golfers can earn does not really compare to other major American sports leagues. Norman said that they'll award $405 million in 2023.
That's a lot of money, but it will be split amongst the top finishers for each event and across all events throughout the year.
For comparison, the top NBA players in terms of contract would be Nikola Jokic, Bradley Beal, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Devin Booker and Karl Anthony Towns.
Their contracts are worth a lot per year:
- Jokic- $54.4 million
- Beal- $50.2 million
- Antetokounmpo- $45.6 million
- Booker- $56 million
- Towns- $56 million
It would be hard, though not impossible, for an LIV athlete to make that much in a given year. They'd have to win or perform very well in every tournament available, which is not as likely.
In the NFL, it's the same story. Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Kyler Murray, Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes are the top paid NFL stars. Their contracts look like this:
- Rodgers- $50.2 million
- Wilson- $48.5 million
- Murray- $46.1 million
- Watson- $46 million
- Mahomes- $45 million
Even in the MLB, the contracts are so big that it would be tough for an LIV Golf member to make as much. Max Scherzer, Gerritt Cole, Mike Trout, Stephen Strasburg and Anthony Rendon make the most moolah.
Their yearly salaries are:
- Scherzer- $43.3 million
- Cole- $36 million
- Trout- $35.5 million
- Strasburg- $35 million
- Rendon- $35 million
These numbers are a little bit easier for LIV Golf members to approach in a year, but still challenging.
However, it is probably easier for an average golfer or even a mediocre one to make a lot of money in LIV than it is for a similarly skilled baseball, basketball or football players.
With the opportunity to win or place well in a few tournaments, an average golfer would likely end up with more than the average athlete elsewhere.
LIV prides itself on having the money to give players a hefty remuneration and it's a real advantage over the PGA Tour, but it's hard to compare to other sports.
