The merger of LIV Golf and PGA Tour shows the lure of sports to launder a country's reputation, in this case, Saudi Arabia and its human-rights abuses.
“Sports in general is a very galvanizing event or cultural phenomenon. It brings people together,” said Yoav Dubinsky, instructor of sports business at the University of Oregon’s Lundquist College of Business. “Sports events are the most watched telecasts on television. TV rights are the main source of revenue for professional sports because of their popularity, which means that the eyes of the world and the eyes of fans are on the sports.
Unlike other types of image laundering — environmental greenwashing, for instance — sportswashing taps into the deep emotional ties many fans have to their teams or sports. Some of them are former athletes. Others want to feel good about who they’re cheering for and what they’re spending their time on.
“These are trophy investments,” Cockburn said. “What they’re gaining is a huge cultural investment, loyalty from certain groups of the population and loyalty from politicians who don’t want to see that investment go away.” “The collaboration with the PGA now gives the Saudis a kosher stamp as a legitimate business partner in the U.S.,” said Dubinsky of the University of Oregon.
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