pratapn

[pratapn @pratapn3]

@sportsinfive Responding to an awesome Seattle crowd.

[pratapn @pratapn3]

@sportsinfive Any new news? Or just the pathetic performance in the majors?

[pratapn @pratapn3]

@sportsinfive ?? Any specific news?

[pratapn @pratapn3]

@sportsinfive They scheduled around the World Cup... Both Spain & UK. They made the right call.

[Flushing It @flushingitgolf]

Executives hit the market with LIV Golf 2.0 last week, framing it as “built by the players, for the players.” It has an emphasis on player ownership, an increased schedule utilising national opens, but reduced purses.

The schedule consists of 10 team events, and 8-10 national opens, with 5 “team majors” and 5 “team signature events”. The “majors” are to be played on 5 continents in line with the most successful events: Australia, South Africa, UK, Hong Kong and Mexico. And the signature events are to be hosted predominantly in the US, around the 4 major championships.

The purse sizes is fluid and dependent on the new investors. From an extensive amount of sourcing, I expect them to be $15 million for 5 events and $10 million for the rest. With a potential weighting that distributes more money at the top of the leaderboard.

A well placed LIV Golf source said:

“We are very confident future purses will be above DP World Tour levels and player take home will be in line with the PGA Tour.”

From sourcing within player ranks, the purse sizes are, obviously, one of the most important factors impacting their commitment. Several players suggested to me if the purses fall in line with the DP World Tour they probably wouldn’t stay. But at $10-$15 million it’s a different proposition. More clarity is needed though on both LIV Golf’s future and the new structure of the PGA Tour to get a better picture.

I’ve spoken directly to at least a dozen players who told me they are fully committed to LIV Golf, and if it exists, they will be there. Bryson DeChambeau is leading that charge and it’s understating it to say he’s committed. He desperately wants LIV Golf to succeed and to build a global golf league that’s built for the 21st century. He’s thinking long term and his enthusiasm is truly infectious.

But a big question is what will Jon Rahm do? It’s difficult to get any real feel of it as he didn’t do media outside press conferences. But he did answer my question on whether he was taking a similar role to Bryson in trying to secure investment and he replied, “I am not, no.” The full quote is on my timeline.

I was told, however, that Jon had encouraged other players to avoid reading the media because of the amount of misinformation. There was also a Legion XIII hospitality area, where the GM, Jeff Koski, was hosting current and potential future partners while offering Imperial Gran Reserva, the Rioja that Jon served at his 2024 Masters Champions Dinner.

The players will be given equity in the league itself or team franchises to encourage them to stay, further committing those taking this option to the success of the league’s future. The majority of the media rights will be returned to the players. Giving them the opportunity to build their own online brands on socials and sign personal partnerships.

The size of the fields is unclear at this stage, but the shotgun start will continue, so the possibility of adding 2 more expansion teams to take the league to 15 franchises (60 players) would likely be top end. I fully expect them to utilise the Asian Tour pathways to fill many of the open spots, especially if players leave. That would help further appease the OWGR concerns and increase the ability to build their own stars. But sources were also confident they could attract established names with potential equity in the league.

Multiple sources indicated that Fox Sports are ready to sign a new deal with LIV Golf as soon as the league is ready. LIV Golf are also working with networks on a potential broadcast model that incorporates TV viewership with YouTube and social media in an attempt to unlock revenue streams across digital IP.

I’ve spent several days going back and forth through notes and transcripts, sourcing information the best I can. I think even in these early stages as they take LIV Golf 2.0 to market this is as fair and accurate of a representation as I can offer.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments 👍

[Jim Bianco @biancoresearch]

The fear over AI is palpable.

So, it's time for my optimistic take ....

Why the AI doom-and-gloom story is missing the bigger picture

A lot of people hear “AI” and immediately think one of two things: it’s just Google search on steroids, or it’s a magic machine coming for everyone’s job. Both miss the bigger picture.

A job is not one single task; it’s a bundle of tasks supported by a massive, fragmented software stack. Email, spreadsheets, presentations, Slack, CRM platforms, and, in finance, a Bloomberg Terminal, FactSet, and market data feeds. For millions of jobs, the cost of software to provide basic tools for these tasks can run to $1,000 a month, and more for complicated roles.

Much of the modern workday is consumed by the friction of this stack: moving data between systems, cleaning spreadsheets, searching for files, and summarizing meetings.

AI is emerging as the new interface for enterprise software. Think about the iPhone. It collapsed cameras, GPS devices, and music players into one simple, powerful device. AI is doing something similar for workplace software, turning 10 clunky programs that don't talk to each other into a single conversational prompt.

Just as we stopped buying standalone cameras and tape recorders once the smartphone came around, companies will happily pay for an AI layer. It will be far cheaper and eliminate the bloated costs of that fragmented software stack that requires you to perform endless, mundane tasks because these programs do not talk to each other.

The immediate fear is that if AI lets three people do the work of five, companies will fire two people. But that ignores economic history.

When the electronic spreadsheet was invented, the cost of calculations plummeted. But accounting jobs didn't vanish; demand for complex financial modeling exploded. Accounting clerks became financial analysts, a more in-demand role.

Jevons Paradox suggests that making a resource more efficient actually increases total demand for it. By absorbing the drudgery, AI allows the employee to focus on judgment and strategy—making the human element more valuable, not less. In this framework, demand for high-output workers doesn't shrink; it explodes.

Does this justify the mind-numbing capital expenditure currently pouring into AI infrastructure? If AI fulfills this promise of enterprise-wide productivity, the investment isn't just justified—it’s a bargain. That said, we are clearly near the peak of a hype cycle, just like the internet was in 1999.

But remember: the dot-com crash did not mean the internet was a bust. It simply meant the hype outpaced the infrastructure. After the wreckage cleared, the optimistic predictions about connectivity and productivity were not only fulfilled—they were exceeded.

The same path can lie ahead for AI. And instead of the fear that AI will replace workers, it's the joy of replacing soulless busywork, making jobs more fulfilling... and more profitable for employers.

[pratapn @pratapn3]

@SafwanAdam @MarkOgden_ Was going to post the exact thing. How does a national writer make such a simple mistake? smh

[pratapn @pratapn3]

@sportsinfive It depends on each person's immune system. If you are someone who doesn't fall sick frequently, you shouldn't be worried.

Should still practice good hygiene etc. but focus should be on supporting the sick person.

[pratapn @pratapn3]

@PTThomas59 @flushingitgolf @livgolf_league Masters is not live... they show you snippets after the play happens. You should try something before being as judgmental as you are.

[pratapn @pratapn3]

@sportsinfive It's Graeme McDowell in the commentary booth

[pratapn @pratapn3]

@sportsinfive That's because you don't have the context. It's a cool reference to a legendary English cricket umpire.

https://t.co/H9KxEzV7pT

[pratapn @pratapn3]

@sportsinfive If it was, the ratings would go through the roof. They don't.

[pratapn @pratapn3]

@sportsinfive It got cut out of the blue....should be back on soon

[Liverpool FC @LFC]

You'll Never Walk Alone ❤️

[pratapn @pratapn3]

@sportsinfive Think about 100 at this point….. we should start deleting anyone with zero points till date. Maybe 10-20 after each tournament.

[pratapn @pratapn3]

@jameslovett26 @sportsinfive yeah.... will be around 35-40. Got 40 points for the 3rd. Should get his average to around 2.3 or so which is currently in the top 40.

[pratapn @pratapn3]

@sportsinfive No

[pratapn @pratapn3]

@thegolfeditor They should do this every event once they know there is an opening.

[pratapn @pratapn3]

@Omni_Chocobo @StoneDog146 @FieldYates USA vs Europe a la the Ryder Cup would be fire.