Bryson DeChambeau has revealed that he would be keen on growing his YouTube channel if LIV Golf were to shut down.
The two-time major winner, who made the switch to LIV Golf in 2022, is arguably the highest-profile name on the breakaway circuit which suffered a blow following the news that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) confirmed that it would be cutting its funding for the league at the end of the season.
Prior to the announcement, DeChambeau gave an update on his LIV Golf future stating rumors surrounding a PGA TOUR return before the end of the year were “completely untrue” and that he was confident that contract negotiations with LIV Golf would lead to a resolution.
Speaking to ESPN ahead of this week’s LIV Golf event at Trump National Golf Club in Washington, DeChambeau gave an insight on his potential future plans if the circuit failed to survive.
“I think, from my perspective, I’d love to grow my YouTube channel three times, maybe even more,” DeChambeau said, who’s current contract expires at the end of the season. “I would love to. I’d love to do a bunch of dubbing in different languages, giving the world more reason to watch YouTube. And then I’d love to play tournaments that want me.
“The egos need to get dropped. Everybody needs to come in with a level-headed playing field, with an opportunistic mindset to grow the game of golf. That’s why I came over here. That’s why I do what I do on YouTube.”
The 32-year-old American first began making content on YouTube in 2020 and has since gathered millions of subscribers, now currently sitting at 2.69 million subscribers.
Reports have suggested the Crushers GC captain is demanding a new deal worth in excess of $500m.
DeChambeau confessed he “was completely shocked” when he heard the news of PIF’s statement stating he believed funding would last until 2032.
“I didn’t expect it to happen,” DeChambeau added. “A couple months before that, it’s like: ‘We’re here until 2032. We’ve got financing until 2032,’ and so I told everybody, and that’s what I was told.
“And then, you know, I haven’t had any communication. And unfortunately, things are moving on in a different direction. Obviously, they wanted to move on.
“If we have a great business model and they’re [PGA TOUR, DP World Tour] very interested in combining forces, that’s the Kumbaya moment, right?
“So, it’s our job to come up with a better business plan on the [top company] side. The team franchises, there’s enough making profit now to where we could sell them for close to $200m (£147m), and that’s not talking about my team either.
“I think it requires a little bit of everybody kind of just lowering their guards and all coming together and going: ‘OK, what’s best for the game of golf?'”
Speaking to reporters, LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil remained optimistic over the future of the league.
“I’m feeling good,” O’Neil said. “I’m feeling an appropriate amount of pressure, which I hope we all do here. I’m feeling inspired, and I feel like we have a clear path to a win.”