LIV Golf sued for $1M-plus by technology company alleging unpaid bills
A technology company and former streaming partner of LIV Golf has sued the golf league for more than $1 million, alleging that it failed to pay its bills.
ESPN reported details of the lawsuit that was filed by Canada-based Mobii Systems Group Ltd. in the U.S. District Court in Miami on Friday. Per ESPN, Mobii Systems alleges that LIV Golf failed to pay a licensing fee of $820,000 and an additional usage fee of $104,500 for its technology used in the league's tournament streams this season.
The lawsuit also alleges breach of contract and seeks $209,531 in lost revenue for the six events on LIV Golf's schedule since the dissolution of the their agreement, according to ESPN.
Tech company says LIV dropped premium feature without paying its bills
Mobii Systems provided LIV Golf with its "Any Shot, Any Time" premium customizable viewing feature that allowed fans to follow any player or group or watch any shot from a tournament's stream. Fans paid $59.99 for access to the feature for a full season.
Per the lawsuit, Mobii Systems issued a demand for payment of outstanding invoices to LIV Golf on May 8 with a deadline of May 15. On May 25, per ESPN, LIV Golf executive Nick Connor informed Mobii Systems that it didn't intend to continue using its services for the remaining six tournaments on the league's schedule starting with an event South Korea held from May 28-31.
"We recognize that delays in payment have caused strain in our relationship, and we understand this is a frustrating time," Connor wrote, per ESPN. "While we understand your frustration, our view is that litigating outstanding invoices will not be a productive use of either of our time and resources."
Per ESPN, Mobii Systems responded to LIV Golf with a notice of termination of agreement, alleging breach of contract.
"Because LIV Golf repudiated the Agreement and terminated Mobii's ability to perform under the Agreement, Mobii will not receive the revenue it was contractually entitled to receive from the remaining six events in LIV Golf's schedule, all of which will take place during the Agreement's term," the lawsuit reads.
LIV Golf has not issued a public response to the lawsuit.
LIV Golf fighting for survival after losing Saudi backing
LIV Golf is scrambling for survival after losing the backing of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund that has funded the splinter golf league with more than $5 billion since its inception in 2021. The partnership has raised allegations of sportswashing.
The fund announced in April that it will no longer back the golf league. News broke in May that LIV Golf was dropping its "Any Shot, Any Time" feature.
Sources told Yahoo Sports' Jay Busbee in June that the golf league is seeking to move forward with a "LIV Golf 2.0" financial model that includes format tweaks to lure investors while offering increased equity and returning commercial rights to its players, most notably Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm. Whether that vision comes to fruition and LIV Golf exists beyond 2026 has yet to be seen.
In the meantime, Mobii Systems wants what it says it's owed.
