LIV Golf announces broadcast innovation, unprecedented access for global audience

Phil Mickelson will tee it up at the Centurion Club in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England. (AP Photo)
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Updated 07 June 2022
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LIV Golf announces broadcast innovation, unprecedented access for global audience

  • Open access streaming available on LIVGolf.com, YouTube, and Facebook, and play-by-play to be called by renowned broadcaster Arlo White
  • Experienced and versatile golf broadcaster Jerry Foltz will serve as an analyst and color commentator from the LIV Golf booth

LONDON/WEST PALM BEACH: Reinforcing its mission of growing golf and reaching new fans across the world, LIV Golf on Monday announced broadcast details and an experienced, diverse team to modernize how golf is watched. 

Beginning Thursday, June 9 at 9 a.m. EST (2 p.m. BST) complete, live coverage of LIV Golf’s historic launch at the Centurion Club will be globally available direct to consumers on LIVGolf.com, YouTube and Facebook. The LIV Golf event broadcasts will also be aired live on a global roster of leading premium and free-to-air broadcasters, providing coverage in 138 territories around the world.

LIV Golf’s shotgun start will feature the 12-team, 48-player field teeing off all at once, and more than 50 cameras will capture every moment from start to finish. The broadcast will present views from 16 different towers, drones, and mobile steady cameras, with tracer technology highlighting the action throughout the course. Fans will also hear the sport like never before through more than 60 microphones incorporated from tee to green on every hole, including player and caddie mics that will bring fans inside the competition. 

Meanwhile, on-screen graphics will showcase innovations to the viewing experience while keeping fans updated in real time on the teams and individuals leading the field. 

“The LIV Golf broadcast will be unlike anything fans have seen before,” said Will Staeger, LIV Golf chief media officer. “The innovations we are introducing to the sport will be distributed to existing and new audiences all over the world as we deliver golf coverage dedicated to entertainment and access. We’ve built a world class production team that has combined the industry’s best practices with a reimagined experience for viewers to create a one-of-a-kind broadcast. We’ve been counting down the days to Thursday’s start so fans can tune in and watch what we have been working on.”

Arlo White, the heralded voice of the Premier League in the US for nearly a decade, takes the role as lead play-by-play caller for LIV Golf. White has called matches on some of the world’s biggest stages, including the Olympics, the FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League, Major League Soccer, five Super Bowls and the Cricket World Cup. His global experience announcing international soccer and cricket competitions includes coverage duties for BBC Sport in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan and the Caribbean. White’s distinguished voice and personality have been showcased on the award-winning show “Ted Lasso,” where he serves as the voice of the popular fictional club AFC Richmond.

Experienced and versatile golf broadcaster Jerry Foltz will serve as an analyst and color commentator from the LIV Golf booth. Foltz, who played professionally for over 15 years, has spent more than two decades as an analyst, play-by-play host, studio host, instructional series host and on-course reporter for networks including the Golf Channel and NBC Sports. Over the last 13 years, Foltz has been an on-course reporter for various tours, with a focus as a leading voice for the LPGA Tour. In London, the three-person booth will be completed by Dom Boulet, a former player on the Asian Tour who is widely known throughout the region as the voice of golf. Boulet has served as a broadcaster for golf’s major championships and has helped expand coverage of marquee global golf events in international markets including the Eurasia Cup, CIMB Classic and CJ Cup.

Su-Ann Heng, a former No. 1 ranked golfer of her native Singapore and six-time member of the Singapore ladies national team, will lead on-course commentating. An experienced golf analyst with networks including FOX Sports Asia, she has covered women’s major championships and hosted marquee global events for more than seven years. The bilingual Heng has served as a contributor for Women’s Golf Magazine and has established herself as an accomplished athlete and influential voice on the global golf scene. 

The multi-talented Troy Mullins will serve as an on-course reporter and social influencer for LIV Golf. The former Women’s Long Drive Record Holder (402 yards) and a regular contributor on the Golf Channel, Mullins brings her unique and engaging storytelling skills to LIV Golf’s courses. A standout heptathlete at Cornell University where she majored in China Asia Pacific Studies, she will carry on her role as a global golf ambassador through entertaining reporting and content development that will showcase the players and personalities featured throughout the LIV Golf Invitational Series.

Staeger has assembled an award-winning team of producers responsible for some of the most renowned broadcast creations in the sports and entertainment industry to lead LIV Golf’s in-house production team. 

David Hill, former chairman of FOX Sports who has spearheaded some of the world’s biggest networks, television programs and production innovations, serves as LIV Golf’s production consultant. Senior Vice President of Global Production is James Watson, who has produced worldwide championships including the Australian Open Golf, Australian Open Tennis and ICC Cricket World Cups. Steve Beim, a nine-time Emmy award winner and one of the premiere directors in sports broadcasting serves as live event coverage director and executive producer. Beim holds more than three decades of credits directing global events including the Olympics, Indianapolis 500, Super Bowl coverage, the US Open on FOX and all six versions of “The Match” for Turner Sports. 

LIV Golf’s creative director is Will Newell, a live event specialist who has delivered promotional and on-air assets for the Olympics and major sports leagues throughout the world. Executive producer of non-live, social, short form and pre-show content is multi-Emmy award winning producer and documentarian Michael Mandt. And veteran FOX Sports executive Clark Pierce serves as head of innovation and production partnerships. The LIV Golf original music theme, to be unveiled with LIV Golf’s inaugural broadcast, was composed and produced by Scott Schreer and NJJ Music, composer and producer of the popular “NFL on FOX” theme.  

The list of global networks covering the LIV Golf Invitational Series will be made available later this week on LIVGolf.com.

LIV Golf is owned and operated by LIV Golf Investments whose vision and mission are centered around making holistic and sustainable investments to enhance the global golf ecosystem and unlock the sport’s untapped worldwide potential. 


French minister criticizes PSG fans’ ‘Free Palestine’ banner; club to escape UEFA sanctions

Updated 5 sec ago
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French minister criticizes PSG fans’ ‘Free Palestine’ banner; club to escape UEFA sanctions

European soccer’s governing body UEFA said the club would not face sanctions
Retailleau, asked if he would seek sanctions against PSG, told Sud Radio: “I am not ruling out anything. I will demand explanations from PSG“

PARIS: French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau on Thursday criticized the unfurling of a giant “Free Palestine” banner at a Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) soccer match, saying it was “unacceptable.”
However, European soccer’s governing body UEFA said the club would not face sanctions.
Retailleau, asked if he would seek sanctions against PSG, told Sud Radio: “I am not ruling out anything. I will demand explanations from PSG.”
The French federation (FFF) president, Philippe Diallo, was summoned for a meeting at 0900 GMT at the interior ministry on Friday, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters, adding it had not yet confirmed its attendance.
The FFF has no power over European club competitions.
French TV channel BFM said PSG director general Victoriano Melero was also summoned. PSG did not respond to a request for comment.
Fans from PSG’s hard-line Auteuil Kop group displayed a huge “Free Palestine” banner before their Champions League game against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night, eight days before France play Israel in Paris in a Nations League game.
“In no way was this tifo (banner) intended to convey a message of hatred — quite the contrary,” the group, Collectif Ultras Paris, said in a statement.
“The message that accompanied it is explicit and is a call for peace between peoples,” the group said, adding that the banner was made outside the stadium.
Their action took place as Israel pressed on with a military offensive in Gaza that has killed about 43,400 Palestinians since Oct. 7, 2023, according to Gaza health ministry figures.
The conflict broke out after Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people.
Qatar-owned PSG said after the game it had not been made aware of any plans to display such a message.
“Paris St. Germain recalls that the Parc des Princes is — and must remain — a place of communion around a common passion for soccer and firmly opposes any message of a political nature in its stadium,” the club said in a statement.
Minister Retailleau said: “Of course the club president is responsible. I want to know how this tarpaulin arrived, how it was deployed.”
A UEFA spokesperson said that PSG would not face disciplinary proceedings as it only bans political messages deemed insulting or provocative.
Last year, the Scottish club Celtic were fined 17,500 euros ($18,907) for fans’ waving Palestinian flags at a Champions League match.
Questions have been raised about security surrounding the France v Israel Nations League game next Thursday in a country that has the largest Jewish community in Europe as well as its biggest population of Muslims.

World number two Swiatek eliminated from WTA Finals group stage

Updated 07 November 2024
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World number two Swiatek eliminated from WTA Finals group stage

  • Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic beat American Coco Gauff 7-5, 6-4
  • Swiatek had kept her hopes alive by beating Russian Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-0

RIYADH: Poland’s Iga Swiatek will not successfully defend her WTA Finals title after being knocked out of the season-ending tournament in the group stage on Thursday.
Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic beat American Coco Gauff 7-5, 6-4, meaning the 23-year-old Pole cannot now progress from the Orange Group to Friday’s semifinals.
Earlier on Thursday, Swiatek had kept her hopes alive by beating Russian Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-0.
But despite winning two of her three matches in the group, Swiatek’s defeat against world number three Gauff on Tuesday ultimately cost her.
The WTA Finals in Riyadh was Swiatek’s first tournament since she was knocked out of the US Open quarter-finals by Jessica Pegula in September.
The five-time Grand Slam winner is expected to end her season by representing her country at the Billie Jean King Cup from November 13-20 in Malaga, Spain.
Wimbledon champion Krejcikova will take on China’s Zheng Qinwen, while Gauff will face world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals.


Fleetwood goes low to lead Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship

Updated 07 November 2024
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Fleetwood goes low to lead Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship

  • The golf tournament is the first event of the DP World Tour Play-Offs
  • ‘I didn’t feel like I swung it perfectly early on and I actually felt like I started playing better as the round got to the back nine,’ Fleetwood said

ABU DHABI: English golfer Tommy Fleetwood carded course record-equalling 10 under par 62 on Thursday to take the first-round lead at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
The Championship is the first event of the DP World Tour Play-Offs and penultimate event of the 2024 Race to Dubai.
Fleetwood, already a two-time winner of this tournament after claiming back-to-back victories in 2017 and 2018, carded eight birdies and an eagle on a low-scoring day at Yas Links to finish one stroke ahead of former Ryder Cup teammate Thorbjorn Olesen and America’s Johannes Veerman.
The 33-year-old, a seven-time DP World Tour winner, was four under after only three holes with a birdie, eagle, birdie start, and he made six further gains as he signed for a bogey-free round, rolling in a final birdie at the last to take the outright lead.
“Just happy to have got off to a great start. I didn’t feel like I swung it perfectly early on and I actually felt like I started playing better as the round got to the back nine,” Fleetwood said.
The wind picked up a little bit, the Englishman said, but overall it was fairly calm. “I think the course, fairways, are playing fast,” he said.
Fleetwood also has an eye on a second Race to Dubai title because he started the week in fifth place on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex.
A strong performance in Abu Dhabi would give him an outside chance of catching current rankings leader Rory McIlroy at next week’s DP World Tour Championship.
Denmark’s Olesen is seeking a second Rolex Series victory this week to follow from his 2018 Italian Open success. He won his eighth DP World Tour title earlier this year in the UAE, landing the Ras Al Khaimah Championship in January.
Olesen said: “With the conditions of the greens, if you putted really well, you can make a lot of putts. I’m very happy with that. There’s not that much breeze out there, so it definitely feels hot. I think maybe I’m a bit more used to it now after being out here for a couple of years.”
Moreover, Veerman, who won his maiden title at the 2021 D+D REAL Czech Masters, earned his place in the first event of the DP World Tour Play-Offs after finishing T8, T14 and T14 in his previous three starts. He carded eight birdies and an eagle to join Olesen on nine under par.
Veerman said: “It went just about as good as I would have hoped, maybe even better. I got off to a really fast start. The conditions on this course are pure so you’re never going to have a bad lie.”
Four-time Rolex Series winner Tyrrell Hatton shares fourth on eight under with fellow Englishmen Laurie Canter and Paul Waring and Italy’s Francesco Laporta.
McIlroy carded a five under par 67 to finish the day in a share of 18th place. The Northern Irishman will win the Race to Dubai for a sixth time if he finishes more than 2,000 ranking points ahead of his nearest challenger after this event.
“It’s nice to be paired with Thriston (Lawrence) and Rasmus (Hojgaard) because you can sort of keep an eye on what they are doing, as well. It’s been a really good year, very, very consistent,” he said.


Buoyant Inter gunning for leaders Napoli and Serie A summit

Updated 07 November 2024
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Buoyant Inter gunning for leaders Napoli and Serie A summit

  • Wednesday’s win came despite Inzaghi dropping five first-choice players with Napoli
  • The defense of the Serie A title his clear priority in the early months of the season

MILAN: Inter Milan have top spot in Serie A in their sights as they host league leaders Napoli this weekend boosted by a gritty win over Arsenal in the Champions League.
Reigning champions Inter are a point behind Napoli and in buoyant mood ahead of Sunday’s clash at the San Siro after showing huge spirit to beat Arsenal 1-0 and continue their unbeaten start in Europe.
Simone Inzaghi’s team are yet to concede a goal in the Champions League and after four matches are two points behind leaders Liverpool in the new single league phase.
Wednesday’s win came despite Inzaghi dropping five first-choice players with Napoli and the defense of the Serie A title his clear priority in the early months of the season.
And Inter had to hold off wave after wave of Arsenal attacks in the second half after Hakan Calhanoglu’s penalty in stoppage time of the opening period, claiming the win with the sort dogged defending which has been lacking in Serie A where they have conceded 13 times in 11 matches.
“It was a win earned through sacrifice, the only thing that mattered tonight was the result. I needed minutes, now I’m ready for Napoli,” said Calhanoglu who was excellent in his first start since recovering from a thigh injury and will guide Inter’s midfield on Sunday.
Inter will be at full strength after Nicolo Barella, Federico Dimarco, Marcus Thuram, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Francesco Acerbi all started the Arsenal win on the bench.
That is a daunting prospect for Napoli who have however had a week to prepare for Sunday’s clash and won at the San Siro against AC Milan as recently as last week.
Napoli have impressed by leading the league following last season’s disastrous defense of their first Scudetto since the days of Diego Maradona.
But Napoli were thumped 3-0 at home by dark horses Atalanta last weekend and questions remain over whether Antonio Conte’s side are ready to reclaim the title.
Conte, a practicing Catholic, said ahead of his team’s humbling at the hands of third-placed Atalanta that “football miracles can happen but only one person can make them happen.”
“All we can do is work hard and try to create something beautiful which in football terms translates into more points,” said Conte.
Mario Balotelli is set for more minutes with his new club Genoa who face Como at the unusual time of Thursday night, a rearrangement forced by an important rally race being held in the port city over the weekend.
Former Italy striker Balotelli made his Genoa debut off the bench late in last weekend’s 1-0 win at Parma which lifted Alberto Gilardino’s team out of the relegation zone, but his only contribution was getting booked.
In-form Fiorentina and Lazio, who are level on 22 points with Atalanta, face Verona and Monza respectively and have a chance to move level with Napoli before Sunday’s big match at the San Siro.
Juventus, who sit a point behind that trio in sixth, host local rivals Torino after drawing 1-1 at Lille on Tuesday.

Fresh from another stellar performance in Wednesday’s 2-0 win at Stuttgart, Lookman is in the form of his life as Atalanta host Udinese in Sunday’s lunchtime fixture with talk of a title challenge looking increasingly realistic.
Nigeria forward Lookman, the hat-trick hero of last season’s Europa League triumph, has scored eight goals and set up five more in 12 appearances this term.
His stunning performances, which have helped push Atalanta to within three points of Napoli, come after being dropped at the start of the season after pushing for a move to Paris Saint-Germain.
But the way he and attack partners Mateo Retegui and Charles De Ketelaere have been playing suggests that Lookman could just as likely scale new heights staying exactly where he is.

Thursday
Genoa v Como (1945)
Friday
Lecce v Empoli (1945)
Saturday
Venezia v Parma (1400), Cagliari v AC Milan (1700), Juventus v Torino (1945)
Sunday
Atalanta v Udinese (1130), Roma v Bologna, Fiorentina v Verona (1400), Monza v Lazio (1700), Inter Milan v Napoli (1945)


Mbappe left out of France squad for November internationals

Updated 07 November 2024
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Mbappe left out of France squad for November internationals

  • It is the second successive France squad from which the national team captain has been absent
  • Mbappe was absent for France’s 4-1 win over Israel in Budapest and a 2-1 win in Belgium

PARIS: Kylian Mbappe has been left out of the France squad for their upcoming UEFA Nations League matches against Israel and Italy after coach Didier Deschamps omitted the Real Madrid superstar from his list of players named on Thursday.
It is the second successive France squad from which the national team captain has been absent after he also missed the October double-header against Israel and Belgium.
The 25-year-old was rested for last month’s matches in order to help him recover from a minor thigh injury suffered playing for Real.
However, that quickly became a source of controversy when he returned to action for Real days later, before France had even played.
Mbappe was absent for France’s 4-1 win over Israel in Budapest and a 2-1 win in Belgium, and instead traveled to Stockholm for a short break with members of his entourage.
It was following that trip that Swedish media reported he was being investigated for an alleged rape. Mbappe himself said those reports were “fake news” while his lawyer said the player would take action for libel.
A Swedish prosecutor confirmed that an investigation had been opened, without naming Mbappe.
Since then, the ex-Paris Saint-Germain forward has made four appearances for his club, scoring one goal. However, he remains short of his explosive best form.