If you haven’t been keeping up with all the LIV news, you can be forgiven. It’s been a nonstop barrage this summer.
The summary is that the league is doing everything it can to survive. It’s been almost four months since the Saudi Public Investment Fund announced it would no longer be supporting LIV and the fight to create a functional business is ongoing. There is a new investor in the wings (Ted Goldthorpe of BC Partners) but that money is dependent on retaining enough talent. Multiple reports have suggested some players, such as Jon Rahm, are exploring exit strategies. Meanwhile, Goldthorpe spoke with players this week and the reaction among players was mixed, leaving the future uncertain.
Amid all of this, LIV canceled its event in Michigan (tickets were being sold for the event on LIV’s website as late as last week) and is wrapping up the 2026 season prematurely this week in Indianapolis where the purse will be significantly smaller than anticipated for the Team Championship.
LIV CEO Scott O’Neil gave a press conference this week and projected confidence as the circuit is hoping its proposed 10-event schedule will take place in 2027 despite the cashflow issues of the current season.
“We have work to do,” O’Neil said Wednesday. “There are hurdles we have to jump over. It’s a very complex transaction we’ll have to deliver. But, man, I wouldn’t bet against us.”
But LIV isn’t just concerned about survival; the league is also facing multiple lawsuits over unpaid invoices from vendors.
Last month, Mobii Systems Group Ltd., a Canadian-based technology company that supplied LIV Golf’s “Any Shot, Any Time” features during its broadcasts, sued the league for more than $1 million for outstanding unpaid invoices and lost revenue.
Several current and former contractors have told Front Office Sports that LIV owes them money. The amounts range from a few thousand dollars to nearly $100,000 per individual. The sources said other vendors who haven’t gone public may also be owed money.
And, this week, yet another lawsuit came to light as Fresh Tape Media, a creative production agency, confirmed it is suing LIV for $1.23 million over unpaid invoices dating to the “Team Week” preseason media event which it produced in 2025 and 2026.
O’Neil addressed those lawsuits during his Wednesday press conference at LIV Indianapolis, expressing hope they could be paid.
“Look, I come from a family of entrepreneurs, a family of small business entrepreneurs, and know the challenge that that is,” O’Neil said. “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.”
Fresh Tape founder Jared Kleinstein joined MyGolfSpy to talk about the origins of the lawsuit and provide context for his company’s relationship with LIV.
Their relationship began in the summer of 2024 as Fresh Tape prepared for the 2025 LIV preseason media days. Fresh Tape has worked extensively in the sports media days space, becoming one of the top companies in that arena. They have about 20 fulltime employees and brought a team of more than 115 people to run the LIV media event which Kleinstein called a “massive undertaking” due to how every single LIV player was involved. Fresh Tape did everything from venue booking to catering to transportation and beyond.
And, of course, they also spent that time creating graphics, headshots and a variety of other content which was used by LIV throughout the season.
Despite LIV’s controversial reputation among golf fans, Kleinstein said Fresh Tape had a professional and rewarding experience working with the league the past two seasons. That was in line with what Kleinstein heard from other friends in the industry who had worked with LIV.
“We had no semblance (the invoices) were not going to get paid,” Kleinstein told MyGolfSpy. “Feedback was great. We loved working with the LIV team and respected and trusted them. We were already starting to plan for 2027.”
LIV paid all of their invoices to Fresh Tape throughout 2025 and the first half of 2026 including a roughly $70,000 payment in April, three months after the media event had taken place. There was no reason to be concerned at that point. Fresh Tape knew many others in the industry who had worked with LIV for years and payment was no issue at any point.
But when the PIF announcement took place in late April and no further payments were being made, suspicions grew. Fresh Tape was talking to vendors working at LIV tournaments this summer who were getting paid; some of the sub-vendors involved in media days, however, still haven’t been paid.
“It’s not crazy for clients to be late on payments,” Kleinstein said. “For a long time, it just felt like another client who was late. And they did pay the first half of this year. But once the PIF news started coming out, we started to think, ‘Wait, this isn’t just another client who isn’t paying us. Something is happening.'”
LIV sent a letter to Fresh Tape saying it would be able to pay only $200,000 towards its remaining bill. It then reduced that to $150,000. As the reality of their financial situation crystallized, it became apparent the money wasn’t coming.
As the months went by, Fresh Tape felt like it was left with no other option but to sue. They filed the lawsuit on July 21 and LIV was formally notified this week. The amount of $1.23 million reflects not only the money owed but also accrued interest from a late-fee rate that was in the contract between the two.
Kleinstein said it best when he tweeted, “It’s pretty simple: When a small business does the work, it deserves to be paid for it.”
“This is not a malicious lawsuit,” Kleinstein told us. “It’s not even self-defense. This is the furthest thing from a publicity stunt. It’s the next practical measure in lieu of waiting for bankruptcy. This was a calculated move in order to recover funds … I have no malice towards Scott O’Neil or the league. Every single human I’ve worked with there has great things to say about Scott.”
What happens next is largely dependent on LIV’s future. Is the league filing for bankruptcy in order to restructure contracts, debts and obligations while continuing as a much smaller business? Is it moving forward into the 2.0 era with an infusion of new cash? Is it going to call it a day and wind down operations?
Many believe lawsuits like this one will be resolved in bankruptcy court. Regardless of outcome, Fresh Tape is hoping to recoup the money they are owed.
Near the end of our interview, I asked Kleinstein what I thought was a ridiculous question: If LIV were to somehow gain funding for 2027, would Fresh Tape still consider working with them again?
“Yes,” Kleinstein said. “We would of course protect ourselves financially but we wouldn’t be the first people in history to request payment up front for services. We have no hesitations about working with their team again under the right contractual context.”
Top Photo Caption: Scott O’Neil addresses the media during LIV Indianapolis.
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