We're Finally Getting Promotion/Relegation In Pro Sports .... It Just Happens To Reportedly Be For The LIV Tour Next Year

[Source] - According to a report from SI.com’s Alex Miceli, the new breakaway league will add relegation and a qualifying tournament in its third season; the qualifier, called its “Promotions” event, will essentially play out like Q-School.

It’s set to begin in October 2023, at the end of LIV’s second season.

LIV has eight events scheduled this season and 14 next year. According to the report, the top 24 finishers at each tournament will earn points for a season-long ranking and after the 2023 finale the bottom four players in the 48-player field will be relegated — i.e., lose their tour card.

Okay, you have my attention here LIV Tour. Promotion/Relegation has been talked about basically every single month and people wondering if and when it could work in American sports. It just can't. Not right now. I know people even brought it up with conference realignment where you could get kicked out. Again, won't happen. But this? This is ... intriguing. 

I know people can lose their tour card all the time. It happens. Also understand the promotion of Korn Ferry Tour. But there are way more moving parts in that than how this currently sounds. Simple bottom 4, top 4. 

 But the bottom four out of 48? That draws some attention. It truly adds to the factor that every tournament will matter outside of making a ridiculous amount of money. If you're not a European soccer fan you know exactly how this works and how nerve-wracking it can be the final weeks of the season. You start doing the math and seeing what sort of results you need in the final couple of games just to stay above the relegation line. 

Now imagine doing that for a single-person sport. You start thinking about every single shot even more. You start doing the math and figuring out if you need a bogey just to stay in the right spot. I'm all for that sort of stress and math. 

There is a caveat though. 

The 20 players who finish outside of the top 24 (but not in the bottom four) could be in danger of losing their spot if their team captain doesn’t renew their deal. Some captains might be exempt from relegation depending on their contracts with LIV, which is also the case for more high-profile contracted LIV players.

So basically if you're a big name you're safe. Would be hilarious to see one of these big names get relegated just for the fact that very few have come out and said it's a money play. Just admit you're going there for money. Would also be cheering for Sergio to get relegated. That would be a top-1 hilarious moment in sports. 

How do you get promoted? Pretty simple, kind of. 

There are several ways players can get into the qualifying field, including the International Series money list, a major win in the last five years and by being a top 75 player in the World Ranking. Also exempt would be any players who won on the PGA Tour or DP World Tour in the past year, amateur champs from the previous year, members of the most recent Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup teams and relegated LIV players from the previous two years.

The top-three finishers in the event, plus the leading money-winner of the LIV Golf International Series (co-sanctioned by LIV and the Asian Tour in 2023), will be promoted.

I have no idea if this is going to work. Shit, I have no idea if the LIV Tour is going to work. But promotion/relegation at least will draw my interest in seeing who is where in the standings. I kind of look at it like the ABA back when that was a thing. It brought things basketball needed to the NBA. It brought change. I still think LIV needs to hash out some things. Really embrace the team play aspect. Bring in different sort of events like this. We know the Saudis likely don't give a shit if they make money or anything, but I'm hoping it just brings small change to golf like the ABA did with the NBA. 

We're getting promotion/relegation, just not how we want it.