LIV Golf’s 2026 season is set to begin in a few weeks, and ahead of that, the league has encountered a few setbacks with Brooks Koepka’s exit and alleged failed negotiation with Akshay Bhatia. The breakaway tour might have gained some temporary relief in the middle after re-signing several LIV pros, but now, it suffered another setback.
LIV Golf has re-signed Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, and Sam Horsfield recently. Reports also indicated that 2024 Australian PGA Championship winner Elvis Smylie and 2025 WM Phoenix Open victor Thomas Detry will join the league. Apart from that, the top three golfers of the Promotions Event, Richard T. Lee, Bjorn Hellgren, and Anthony Kim, will be playing on LIV as wildcards.
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However, LIV Golf recently received a major blow after James Watson, a leading figure in the league’s production for four years, announced his exit. Watson was also instrumental in innovating the Saudi PIF-backed golf league’s broadcasts. Josh Carpenter shared the news on X (previously Twitter) and wrote:
“James Watson, who led LIV Golf’s production efforts since its inception, says he’s left the league ahead of the 2026 season…”
Take a look at Carpenter’s X post here:
For the unversed, Watson was once the Senior Vice President of Worldwide Production in LIV for Media. In April, Watson and his team’s hard work was recognised after the official league app’s “Any Shot, Any Time” feature earned the tour the 2025 Sports Technology Award for Best Use of Fan Engagement Technology. With Watson and his lead producer, Keith Hirshland’s exit, Everwonder Studio will take over LIV’s production.
A look into LIV Golf’s new Production Partner and More
Mike Antinoro and Ian Orefice, the former President of TIME and TIME Studios, lead Everwonder Studio. The studio is set to take over the production of the Saudi PIF-backed golf league from its season opener at Riyadh in February 2026.
Everwonder Studio is also backed by Jeff Zucker, who has served as President of CNN and NBCUniversal. The studio, which has been behind trending sporting events like the Anthony Joshua vs. Jake Paul fight, has also produced “The Showdown” between PGA Tour pros and LIV golfers, as well as the recent Optum Golf Channel Games.
According to another report by Sports Business Journal, veteran golf producer Mark Loomis, who has worked with Fox Sports and GOLF Channel, is in talks with the league to be involved in the broadcasts alongside Everwonder Studio. Loomis has worked with the studio before, as he was a coordinating producer of the Golf Channel Games.
Edited by Riddhiman Sarkar
