LIV Golf Loses Another Executive in Advance of Its Second Season

A key part of LIV Golf's business plan is a franchise model, and its director of franchises has left.

Another LIV Golf executive has left the organization as it prepares for its second season, which is scheduled to begin late next month.

Matt Goodman, who was named director of franchises in May, is no longer part of the management team, a LIV Golf representative confirmed. The news was first reported by Sports Business Journal, citing a source.

Last month Atul Khosla, who became COO of LIV Golf in January 2022, also left the company.

Khosla reported directly to CEO Greg Norman and had come to the organization from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Both executives were involved in a key LIV Golf business plan, which is to develop a team model of franchises that can eventually be sold, with ownership groups then involved with marketing and paying their teams.

The league structure entails having 12 four-man teams with captains such as Dustin Johnson, Cam Smith, Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka, all of whom have equity stakes in their franchises.

Over time, these franchises will be sold, according to the LIV Golf plan.

LIV Golf is scheduled to begin its 14-tournament league schedule Feb. 24-26 in Mexico and is backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

LIV has yet to announce its full schedule or the addition of several players who will fill out the teams. A television TV partner is expected to be announced in the coming weeks, although nothing is official at this time.

Before joining LIV, Goodman was the COO and chief commercial officer for the New York City Football Club of Major League Soccer. Prior to that, he worked in marketing and business administration for the NBA.