Remember when Formula 1 was just a European racing thing nobody in America really cared about? Not anymore. F1 has transformed into a global sports juggernaut, taking the U.S. by storm. American viewership has exploded – up 58% in 2021 alone. And it’s not just the Netflix effect – F1’s brilliant global strategy has created a premium sporting product that crosses cultural boundaries while maintaining its elite status. No wonder it’s the blueprint that other sports desperately want to copy. Enter LIV Golf’s new CEO, Scott O’Neil.

LIV’s new bossman is now openly comparing his Saudi-backed circuit to the racing phenomenon. At a recent media session in Singapore, O’Neil wasn’t subtle about his F1 aspirations. When faced with questions about LIV’s disappointing TV ratings, he quickly pivoted to international expansion talk and team-based competition – straight from the F1 playbook.

Golf but Louder is LIV’s motto. The league aims to take golf to the international level and seems to have a long-term vision, not caring about the short-term results it might have. For this, LIV started its 2025 season with 4 international events, instead of the usual starting in the US. Taking to this, the new CEO said in Singapore, “We are different though. We’re a global sports league. So our first 4 events we were in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, then we went over to Adelaide, Australia, then Hong Kong, and now we’re in Singapore. So for those of you who’ve spent time in New York, you might know that some of our events are played at 3 in the morning. And so it might not register on traditional rating scales as you might register a US sports league. And we’re quite ok with that.” 

Scott O’Neil is less than three months into his role after replacing Greg Norman. Since his joining, he has taken a sharp approach to growing the league, signing deals with Fox Sports and Riyadh Air. “Especially now that we’re starting to get more and more distribution around the world. We’re getting quite a few viewers in the timezones we are in,” he said. He directly compared LIV to Formula 1, saying, “Over time, this notion of being the F1 of golf is one I like a lot. Other than LIV, F1 is the only truly global sports league. They have teams and we have teams and it’s very different for golf to have a team sport. You’re definitely playing in a premium market like F1 has.”

O’Neil also took subtle shots at the PGA Tour, highlighting LIV’s premium fan experience as opposed to the PGA Tour. “Our hospitality experience is clearly like the Paddock or a level better in terms of opportunity. Walking the pit row is very akin to walking our driving range before an event. It’s as close a parallel as you can find.” Acknowledging the experience gap between the organizations, adding, “But remember we’re 3 years in and I bet they’re 80.” That is true. The original PGA Tour was founded in 1921, but the modern Tour was formed in 1968 when a subset of touring professionals broke away from the PGA of America.

O’Neil seems to be doubling down on LIV’s international focus. He mentioned potential expansion into Japan and mainland China. This global strategy appears to be LIV’s main difference from the PGA Tour, which has traditionally centered its schedule around American venues, except for a few international events.

But here’s the question: Are fans watching LIV Golf? Or is this global expansion happening in front of empty screens?

Television ratings tell a different story

O’Neil describes a growing global sports league following F1’s path. However, the TV viewership data shows something very different. The numbers reveal a struggling startup rather than a rising phenomenon. Recent Nielsen ratings for LIV Golf events show consistently low viewership. The LIV Golf Singapore final round attracted only 34,000 viewers on FS1. The Hong Kong event performed even worse, with just 12,000 viewers on FS2, followed by 17,000 viewers when coverage moved to FS1.

Even LIV events with better time slots don’t show much improvement. The third round of LIV Golf Riyadh drew only 54,000 viewers on FS1, dropping to 31,000 when coverage moved to FS2. These figures look especially weak compared to other sporting events. On one Saturday, LIV Golf’s final round on FOX had 249,000 viewers. Meanwhile, USA vs. Canada hockey on ABC attracted 4.4 million viewers, and NBA All-Star Saturday Night pulled in 3.3 million viewers.

This huge gap raises serious questions about O’Neil’s F1 comparisons. The Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix in May 2024 attracted over 3.2 million viewers on ABC. The contradiction is obvious. O’Neil dismisses poor U.S. ratings by emphasizing LIV’s international focus. Yet a true “global” sports league should attract significant viewership across multiple markets. F1 has accomplished this, but LIV has yet to prove it can.

Will LIV Golf ever become the “F1 of golf,” as O’Neil claims? Or is this comparison just marketing talk that hides fundamental audience problems? The viewership numbers suggest a long road ahead, no matter how positively O’Neil describes the journey. What do you think about LIV’s global strategy? Let us know in the comments section below!