After failing to secure enough player commitments to keep LIV Golf’s proposed 2027 reboot alive, BC Partners had walked away from its rescue plan. Now, some players who hadn’t committed to the revised league are reportedly trying to reopen negotiations with the investment firm just hours before a crucial bankruptcy hearing on Thursday.
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Sujeet Indap of the Financial Times reported that several players had “rushed back to the negotiating table with BC” overnight. The renewed approach came after two key deadlines passed without an agreement: BC’s final deadline for player commitments expired the previous Sunday, while Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) had set October 30 as the date to decide whether LIV would receive further backing or be wound down.
David Rumsey of Front Office Sports offered another indication that a rescue might still be possible. Citing a source close to BC Partners, he reported that the firm was “not out completely” on LIV, but “just not under this version” of the deal.
LIV’s attorneys were expected to update Judge Michael B. Kaplan at Thursday’s 11:30 a.m. ET hearing on whether another restructuring option remained or whether the league would have to wind down. Liquidation had emerged as the likely outcome, although no order approving it had been issued ahead of the proceedings.
The hearing came amid LIV’s Chapter 11 case, filed on September 8 after PIF ended its funding in April following more than $5 billion in investment since 2022. Kaplan had approved a restructuring agreement with BC Partners on October 14, but the proposed revival depended on securing commitments from 30 to 40 players. Under the plan, players would have held a majority stake, BC a substantial minority, and the league would have moved to a shorter schedule.
BC initially set an October 25 deadline for player commitments, later extending it to the final roster deadline the following Sunday. The Financial Times and BBC Sport reported that the firm withdrew after failing to attract enough players. ESPN subsequently described the deal as dead “barring a last-minute buyer.” Thursday’s renewed discussions offered a possible route back to negotiations, but no guarantee that BC would revive its original proposal.
The number of players who committed to LIV 2.0 remains unknown. Four have publicly confirmed their decisions: Richard Bland, Cameron Tringale, Brendan Steele, and Ben Campbell. Bryson DeChambeau has said he hopes the league “exists forever” but has not confirmed whether he signed.
The uncertainty also reflects the DP World Tour’s decision to deny 2027 membership and Ryder Cup eligibility to players who sign with LIV for the coming season. Several prominent names have opted to leave rather than risk their status on the European circuit. Jon Rahm, Sergio Garcia, Tyrrell Hatton, Ian Poulter, Louis Oosthuizen, Graeme McDowell, David Puig, Tom McKibbin, Adrian Meronk, Lucas Herbert and Abraham Ancer are among those who have left.
Rahm, reportedly still owed around $100 million under his LIV contract, cited the league’s uncertain future and a proposed structure that appeared to be moving away from its team format. “There were too many unknowns at the time, and there’s still quite a few,” he said. Lee Westwood was more direct: “There hasn’t been anything presented to me that is agreeable for LIV 2.0.”
Staying would mean joining a smaller league with fewer tournaments and an ownership stake instead of the financial guarantees associated with the original model. A return to the PGA Tour is not an established alternative, either; the circuit has yet to offer former LIV players a pathway back. With no other investor publicly prepared to step in, BC Partners remains the most significant potential source of private financing.
LIV also faces unpaid contractor bills and ongoing litigation from the Premier Golf League, both of which complicate any revival. Its 2027 calendar still lists an event at Kooyonga in Adelaide from March 18 to 21, but South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas described the tournament’s prospects as looking like “game, set and match.”
The league appointed former TaylorMade and Adidas executive Mark King as a senior adviser last week. His arrival suggested an effort to reshape the business, but with liquidation now a serious possibility, LIV’s immediate challenge is finding a viable future before its remaining options disappear.