LIV Golf boss refuses to rule out bankruptcy after failing to pay contractors
LIV Golf boss refuses to rule out bankruptcy after failing to pay contractors
David SchneidmanWed, August 19, 2026 at 7:51 PM UTC
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LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil did not rule out his company going bankrupt in a recent interview -Credit:Photo by Jordan Bank/Getty Images
LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil did not rule out his company going bankrupt when facing questions about unpaid contractors.
The future of LIV Golf remains up in the air as the 2026 season finale approaches, and although O’Neil remains optimistic in his public messaging about the tour’s future, there is still plenty of uncertainty.
The tour does reportedly have a new lead investor in British private equity firm BC Partners that is set to provide enough funding to keep LIV Golf afloat in 2027, although that deal has not yet been finalized.
It comes after Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) stripped its financial backing of the tour earlier this year, citing billions of dollars in losses since launching LIV Golf in 2022.
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As questions remain over his company’s immediate future, O’Neil was asked about another issue that has stemmed from the tour’s lack of funding – unpaid contractors.
Front Office Sports reported this week that some LIV Golf vendors and contractors are still owed money by the league, including those who provided services in video production, data collection, merchandising, and food and beverage.
The report details that various individuals who have been contracted with LIV Golf, including some who have worked with the league since its inaugural season in 2022, are owed as much as $100,000.
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LIV Golf has been sued twice in the past two months -Credit:Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
“Look, I come from a family of entrepreneurs, a family of small business entrepreneurs and know the challenge that that is,” O’Neil said about the unpaid contractors. “So what I would say to them is we're doing everything we can to make sure we can do right by them and the work they committed, and I hope we can.”
“For the next generation, it will certainly be a different business with a different process.”
The missed payments have resulted in two companies filing million-dollar lawsuits against LIV Golf in the past two months.
Fresh Tape Media, who produced and operated the tour’s preseason media days in Jan. 2026, sued LIV Golf in Aug. 2026 for more than $1.2 million in missed payments and interest.
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Another former vendor, Mobii Systems Group Limited, sued LIV Golf for $1.1 million in July 2026 for breach of contract and unpaid invoices after the league canned the all-encompassing ‘Any Shot, Any Time’ streaming option for viewers.
O’Neill gave a vague response when asked about LIV Golf’s potential to go bankrupt, stating he “trust(s) the process and optionality.” He later neglected to rule out bankruptcy when questioned further.
“I don't think we would rule out any option,” O’Neil said. “I mean, the whole focus is on transaction, transaction, transaction. We're spending all our time thinking about how we best land this plane and have it landed so we can take off again. All our focus is in that direction.”
Source: “AOL Money”
