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The National Press Club has expressed displeasure at the recent broadcast deal between CW and LIV Golf, which was announced on Thursday.
After much struggle, the Saudi-backed league eventually found a broadcaster willing to tie up with it looking past the controversies. However, this didn't go well with the Club.
The National Press Club comprises 3,000 members from every major news organization. Founded in 1908, the Club is a leading voice for the freedom of the press in the USA and the world.
Jen Judson, the president of the Club, released a statement expressing disappointment at LIV Golf's multi-year deal to air its events on the CW, owned by Nexstar Media.
“We are deeply disappointed that a company that makes money from news like Nexstar would agree to participate in such a shameful PR stunt as LIV Golf, which is fundamentally designed to rehabilitate the Saudi reputation, tarnished irreparably by the state-ordered gruesome murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018.
"We are left to wonder what if anything Nexstar stands for. You cannot have a brand in news and act this way. Saudi Arabia murdered a Washington Post journalist and cut him up with a bone saw."
Judson further stated that Riyadh has wanted to use golf as a tool to make Americans forget about the murder, and it shouldn't get away with this.
"We call on Nexstar employees — many of whom are journalists — to demand management explain why they have partnered with the murderers of a journalist. We urge Nexstar to do the right thing and cancel their bloody golf show. "
Judson further stated that if Nexstar didn't cancel the deal, they would urge everyone not to watch it and would write to sponsors not to sponsor them.
The new LIV Golf season is slated to kick start next month, with the first event to take place during February 24-26 on the Gulf coast of Mexico, Mayakoba.
LIV-CW sign a multi-year deal
Earlier on Thursday, LIV golf and the CW Network signed a multi-year broadcast deal. This is the first time CW has had exclusive broadcast rights for mainstream live sports.
The details of the deal were not shared, but several sources have reported that the channel has not just bought airtime. Instead, the deal will be advertising revenue-based, which both parties will mutually share. LIV Golf will also produce coverage for its own team.
LIV CEO and Commissioner Greg Norman termed it a momentous day for the Saudi-backed league in a statement.
"We're very proud to note how consequential it is that a league that has only existed for one year has secured a full broadcast deal in its debut full league season."
CW President Dennis Miller termed the LIV-CW partnership a "significant milestone."
48 players are signed with LIV Golf at the moment, including the biggies like Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, and Cameron Smith. The 48 players are divided into 12 teams for team events.
