Apple, Amazon join those passing on LIV Golf rights - WSJ

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Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) are among the now-big list of media partners who the WSJ says are passing on the opportunity to broadcast LIV Golf, the breakaway golf league backed by Saudi Arabia.

The two tech (and increasingly media) giants were approached by LIV Golf about carrying events via streaming, but neither expressed interest, according to the report.

LIV Golf has drawn some of the world's most famous golfers away from the PGA Tour: Its CEO is Greg Norman and the league has signed Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed, among many others.

But it's come in for criticism from those saying it's a means for Saudi Arabia to whitewash (or "sportswash") human-rights abuses.

And Amazon and Apple are just the latest names to decline putting the events on its media; the WSJ notes that LIV Golf hasn't been able to reach a deal with ESPN (DIS), CBS (PARA) (PARAA), NBC (CMCSA) or Fox (FOX) (FOXA). CBS, NBC and ESPN all have existing deals with LIV rival the PGA Tour.

In the U.S., LIV can be seen on its own website and on platforms like YouTube (GOOG) (GOOGL) and sports streaming service DAZN.