NBA legend Scottie Pippen poses for photos with Ian Poulter and fist-bumps Sergio Garcia as he attends day one of the latest Saudi-backed LIV Golf event in Chicago… a day after taking part in the Pro-Am at Rich Harvest Farms
- The Bulls icon was part of the welcoming committee at LIV’s fifth event this year
- LIV has been shopping their media rights around, with rumors suggesting a deal with Rupert Murdoch’s Fox Sports is close to completion
- He also filmed a promotional video, praising the idea of team play in a traditionally solo sport
As LIV Golf kicks off its fifth event of the season about 50 miles outside Chicago, they’re being welcomed by Windy City royalty.
Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen was seen posing for photos and taking part in the Saudi-backed tour’s pro-am event earlier this week.
Pippen even filmed a promotional video welcoming golfers and fans to Illinois, waxing poetic about the trials and tribulations of the solitude of the game.
‘If you win, good for you. That’s what you’re supposed to do,’ Pippen said in the video. ‘You lose, look in the mirror. ‘Cause that’s on you.’
‘But the idea of team play? In golf? Now that’s a game changer. Take it from me, being on a team can be pretty rewarding,’ he added while holding up his six NBA Championship rings.
NBA legend and Chicago Bulls icon Scottie Pippen posed for a picture with LIV’s Ian Poulter
Pippen snapped a pic with English golfer Ian Poulter on Friday, with Poulter posting the image to Twitter.
The caption read: ‘Two people who’ve had success in Chicago’ and used the hashtags #ChicagoBulls and #Medinah, reminding American golf fans of the pain of the 2012 Ryder Cup collapse. Pippen was also seen catching up with Spaniard Sergio Garcia, offering a fist bump.
LIV has made it a point to use celebrities to market the events to local fans, specifically local sports icons. At their last event outside of Boston, Hall of Famer and former Red Sox slugger David Ortiz appeared in a video similar to Pippen’s.
Things seem to be looking up on the business side of the LIV tour. Reports say LIV is in discussions with Fox Sports to land a media deal. The tour currently airs its events on their own.
LIV CEO Greg Norman has a history with Fox, having worked for them as an analyst in the past. It didn’t end well, however, with Norman being fired in 2015. The Aussie felt he was blamed for disappointing coverage during that year’s US Open.
Pippen helped to welcome fans at LIV’s Chicago event, seen here greeting Sergio Garcia
The Hall of Famer did more than just greet people, taking part in the tour’s pro-am this week
He also filmed a promotional video, praising the idea of team play in a traditionally solo sport
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