LIV Golf might be preparing for its next chapter with new investors, but more contractors and vendors claim they’re owed money by the league.
The credit division of private investment firm BC Partners is exploring a funding deal with LIV to help the league continue operating in 2027 and beyond. This week’s LIV Golf Indianapolis event is set to pay out $30 million in prize money, but details about LIV’s expected-to-be-canceled $40 million team championship in Michigan still remain scarce.
As the tumultuous 2026 season comes to a close, no full-time employees are known to have seen any missed paychecks since the Saudi PIF announced in April it would no longer fund LIV after this season.
But many contract workers—both past and present—say they’re owed money for services rendered earlier this year, and remain in the dark about when or if they will receive those payments. Like many professional sports entities, LIV outsources services like video production, data collection, merchandising, tournament food and beverage operations, among others. Front Office Sports spoke with several such people and verified their current or former affiliation with LIV; they were granted anonymity for this story in order to preserve their identity as they continue working for LIV or continue their efforts to get paid.
The amounts owed to individuals by LIV range from several thousand dollars to nearly $100,000, according to the people who spoke with FOS, some of whom have worked with LIV since its first event in 2022. Other contractors and vendors that have so far stayed quiet could be owed even more, those people say.
One former LIV vendor went public with its dispute and sued the league last month. Mobii Systems Group Limited, a Canadian company that previously supplied LIV’s “Any Shot, Any Time” streaming option, claims LIV owes it more than $1.1 million for breach of contract, unpaid invoices, and interest. Other companies in similar positions have also been considering legal action, sources tell FOS.
Some individuals and companies have experienced late payments from LIV in the past, they told FOS, but not like the current multimonth delays that have resulted in tens of thousands of dollars owed to several parties now. Communication from LIV regarding the money owed has been minimal, according to the impacted individuals, some of whom have hired lawyers and sent breach of contract notices. “There’s no response from the accounts receivable department,” one contractor said. “Even their legal counsel has not responded to demand letters.”
Joe Bain, co-chair of law firm Jones Walker’s bankruptcy and restructuring team in Houston, tells FOS that withholding payments to outside entities is “absolutely” a strategy companies use when they are preparing for a potential bankruptcy filing, which LIV is widely believed to be considering. “They’re looking at their cash balance, and they’re trying to figure out how long of a runway they have, and what their options are,” Bain says. “And cash is absolutely king in this process.”
Managing the Transition From PIF
A common theme from LIV officials this summer has been the league’s efforts to take a “disciplined” and “sustainable” approach amid its transition from PIF funding to new investors. Corporate restructuring experts Gene Davis and Jon Zinman are leading LIV’s new independent board of directors. The running goal has been to manage LIV’s resources efficiently, according to sources, including day-to-day operations, cost structures and processes, and the league’s overall model. Nothing has been decided about next steps should new funding be secured.
LIV filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act notice last month—a legal requirement for businesses in the U.S. with more than 100 employees to provide at least 60 days notice of potential mass layoffs. And earlier this month the league started giving some contractors a 30-day notice of the termination of their contracts, which would be in early September, albeit with language about the potential for more opportunities in a “LIV 2.0 structure.” Some contractors and vendors also work with LIV through third parties, which can further complicate matters.
The PIF has spent more than $5 billion on LIV since the league launched in 2022, but terms of the fund’s exit as LIV’s lead financial backer remain unclear. LIV CEO Scott O’Neil said this month that the PIF “has been a tremendous steward of this business” and that he has “a lot of appreciation for them allowing us this time to go and find investment.”
Bryson DeChameau said PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan has “done wonders for us and the global game of golf. How it moves forward, I think there’s a great place for the PIF and where they want to be moving forward.”
But behind closed doors, some within LIV view the PIF differently. “The PIF is extremely difficult to work for,” a source with knowledge of the league’s operations told FOS. “And to get money from them is a huge pain in the ass.” Another source indicated that consistent communication with the PIF has been an issue for LIV’s leaders this year.
The PIF is reportedly considering buying out some LIV players’ contracts “at a discount to settle any potential liability,” according to the Financial Times. Jon Rahm, who joined LIV ahead of the 2024 season and has multiple years remaining on his contract, is reportedly owed more than $100 million, while others with less starpower are said to be owed much less. DeChambeau’s contract expires after this season. The vision for “LIV 2.0” includes making players the majority equity holders in the league’s new structure.
O’Neil was seen with BC Partners Credit head Ted Goldthrope during the final round of LIV Golf New York at Trump Bedminster on Aug. 9, and Al-Rumayyan was also in attendance alongside President Donald Trump. O’Neil has been leading the search for new investors all spring and summer. And while the announcement of a lead investor is positive for many, others still feel neglected amid the trying circumstances.
“The frustration is compounded when it appears that the executives are still being paid regularly and on time and the CEO continues to use a private jet to travel around to meetings and tournaments,” said one LIV contractor. “The staff on the ground keeping things afloat seem to be at the bottom of the priority list.”
LIV declined to comment for this story.
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