LIV Golf comes calling for Charles Barkley, after former NBA star says ‘he’d kill a relative for US$200 million’
- Eleven-time All-Star works as a television analyst for TNT and the new Saudi-backed league could be looking to add him to its broadcast
- The Saudi-backed league is only available to watch online at the moment
LIV Golf has its eyes on a basketball Hall of Famer for their next addition to the broadcast lineup.
Charles Barkley, an 11-time All-Star in the NBA and current analyst for TNT, recently said on the Pat McAfee Show in regards to PGA Tour players taking LIV Golf money that, “If somebody gave me $200 million I’d kill a relative.”
Well, that apparently caught the eye of the Greg Norman-led and Saudi Arabia-funded series. During a Thursday interview on The Next Round, Barkley said he’s going to meet with LIV Golf.
“They called me and asked me ‘Would I meet with them?’ And I said, ‘Yes,’” Barkley said. “Nothing that’s imminent, I actually don’t know everything they want from me, or what they technically want me to do, but you’ve got to always look at every opportunity that’s available. So the answer to your question is, 100 per cent yes, I’m going to meet with LIV.”
The new league that is at odds with the PGA Tour has long been criticized as a way for the Saudi government to sportswash its human rights record. It offers 54 hole events with no cuts and guaranteed money for the 48-player fields, as well as multi-million dollar deals, some in the ballpark of $100-plus million.
The current LIV broadcast, which is only available via online streaming, boasts former voice of the Premier League on NBC, Arlo White, who is in his first foray as a golf announcer. He’s joined in the booth by former Golf Channel analyst Jerry Foltz and Dom Boulet.
