I’m not sure if true, but I was told many years ago when I was playing, much of the Australia tour TV was paid for by the tournaments?
I do not/can not remember the details, but was surprised coming from us tour that wa happening at some events.
Back when I was playing there, the course and tournaments were as good as anything in played here in the USA. I’ve always prayed that some huge sponsor would “discover” the tour down there and provide backing the country deserves
Wonder why Norman didn't do it with LIV? He has the name and the backing.
You'd have to guess that it's because his primary goal has little to do with with building anything as beneficent as an Aussie Tour and completely to do with damaging the PGA Tour as much as possible. This is, after all, the end of 30 years of him being pissed at Finchem.
And as regards buying TV time, it's pretty common. I didn't realize it until now, the the LPGA has been buying time for years, and still has some tournaments under that system. Then they are stuck finding sponsors to pay for it. It's why sometimes their events that run over the allotted time don't get finished on-air.
FWIW, when I was in the outdoors writing business, I knew some guys who had fishing and hunting shows in the Midwest who did the same thing. It's a tough way to make a living, IMHO.