2023-06-17 02:32:03
The Saudi-funded LIV Golf and the PGA Tour filed a motion Friday to dismiss their antitrust claims and counterclaims. With this came to an end a 10-month dispute, with huge legal costs, and which ended with a commercial agreement.
The motion, which was filed in federal court in Northern California, was more of a proceeding than a surprise.
He was part of the stunning announcement on June 6, in which the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, the PGA and the European Tour became partners in a new commercial business venture.
In addition to ending the antitrust lawsuit, the motion calls for any appeals involving the Public Investment Fund and its governor Assir Al-Rumayyan to be dismissed and for him to give his testimony.
PIF and Al-Rumayyan were trying to claim an exception as part of the Foreign Service Immunity Act. A federal magistrate determined that they might not be immune due to the involvement of the PIF with the commercial company LIV Golf.
LIV Golf’s lawsuit claims the PGA used its monopoly power to prevent any competition. The PGA Tour won an initial decision when a federal judge temporarily denied the restraining order that would prevent three LIV golfers from participating in the Tour postseason.
The PGA filed a countersuit in September accusing LIV of “unlawful interference” leading elite players to breach their contracts by claiming the tour might not enforce its rules.
The case is not over. The New York Times filed a motion to intervene Friday and asked a court to open the documents. The petition will be heard on August 3.
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