The CW has reached an agreement to air LIV Golf’s 14-game tournament schedule.
The LIV Golf tour is owned by the Saudi Arabian monarchy and as such has been heavily criticized in recent years as part of an attempted rehabilitation (or in the opinion of some critics, “sportswash”) the widely denounced human rights abuses by the Saudi Arabian government.
human rights observer Y International Amnestyamong many other organizations, have roundly condemned the government of Saudi Arabia for restricting human rights and civil liberties, particularly women’s rights, as there have been widespread reports of sexually assaulted and abused women in Arab detention centers.
While the Saudi Arabian government has announced reforms, many critics see them as window dressing and attempts to change the conversation, with Human Rights Watch noting:
“Saudi Arabia announced important and necessary reforms in 2020 and 2021, but continued repression and disregard for basic rights are the main barriers to progress. The near-total repression of independent civil society and critical voices impedes the chances of reform efforts succeeding.”
In a report titled “Saudi Arabia codifies male guardianship and gender discrimination,” Amnesty International criticized the “continued imprisonment of women for their peaceful expression in support of women’s rights and the imposition of travel bans against women human rights defenders are a crucial reminder of the inherently discriminatory systems women face in the country.”
Saudi Arabia and ‘sports washing’
The government of Saudi Arabia has spent at least $1.5 billion on, by The Guardian“sports wash,” and while that kind of money can buy a lot, there seem to be limits.
LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman said that Tiger Woods rejected a “nine figure” deal to join the tour. Norman has also been widely condemned for trying to minimize the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who in 2018 was reportedly dismembered with a bone saw inside the Saudi Arabian consulate at the behest of Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
But despite widespread criticism of the LIV Golf tournament and the Saudi Arabian government, it appears that there are those who are still willing to take what many consider to be blood money. Although to be fair, one assumes, for The CW, Sports Illustrated reports that LIV Golf will not be paid a traditional rights fee, but the league says it is “mutually beneficial financially” as the two will share advertising revenue, and LIV is expected to “bear a fair share of the promotional work.”
The agreement is set for three years, with the possibility of a rights fee to be paid after two years.
A strange move for The CW
The CW began as a joint venture in 2006 between the companies now known as Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global. The network made a name for itself through teen-focused programming like “Gossip Girl” and “Riverdale” and various DC Comics superhero adaptations, including “Arrow” and “The Flash.” Notably, the network was praised by GLAAD as “the network with the highest percentage of LGBTQ series regulars for the fifth consecutive year.”
In 2011, The CW signed a billion-dollar deal with Netflix that helped the network survive during the streaming era and became a content farm for the streaming giant. That deal ended when Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global decided to focus on their own streaming services.
Last year the network was bought by Nexstar (NXST) – Get a free report, the largest owner of local television stations in the US and the largest owner of CW affiliates. Once one of the network’s flagship shows, “The Flash” will end with an abbreviated final season, leaving the once-robust network with just a handful of shows, including the remake of “Walker” and “World’s Funniest.” Animals”.
