The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) has filed a lawsuit against its Korean media rights partner JTBC Discovery and its parent company, JoongAng Ilbo, in a U.S. federal court, alleging unpaid broadcasting rights fees and sponsorship obligations. The complaint was submitted to the Southern District of New York Federal Court on March 26 and outlines significant financial disputes affecting LPGA tournament operations.
According to the LPGA, JTBC Discovery failed to pay the agreed-upon broadcasting rights fees for 2024 and 2025 as per their contract. This shortfall has caused operational difficulties for the tour, including the cancellation of key events. The LPGA is now seeking compensation, including the unpaid amounts, interest, damages, and legal fees, from JoongAng Ilbo, which it claims provided a binding payment guarantee on behalf of JTBC Discovery.
The LPGA entered into a media rights and tournament sponsorship agreement with JTBC Discovery, effective January 1, 2021. Under the agreement, the LPGA was to receive guaranteed funding and a set number of tournaments, while JTBC had the right to recoup part of its investment through sublicensing and commercial partnerships. As a result, tournaments like the Hugel-JTBC LA Open and JTBC Founders Cup were launched, while others such as the Furhills Se-Ri Pak Championship did not carry JTBC branding in the title.
Crucially, the LPGA claims that JoongAng Ilbo signed a “continuous, unconditional, and irrevocable” payment guarantee in October 2021. Despite this, JTBC Discovery has allegedly defaulted on payments three times since the start of 2024. One of the most immediate consequences was the cancellation of the Furhills Se-Ri Pak Championship, which was scheduled to be held at Palos Verdes Golf Course from March 20.
Although the LPGA did not disclose the specific amount it is seeking in damages, Golf Digest Korea reports that JTBC has held an annual contract with the LPGA worth approximately $9 million since 2010, covering media rights and tournament sponsorships.
The issue has drawn widespread attention from U.S.-based golf media, including Golf Channel and Golf Week. In an internal memo obtained by Golf Week, LPGA interim commissioner Liz Moore confirmed that legal action had been initiated to enforce the payment guarantee agreement, stating, “This will enable us to collect the unpaid amounts.”
The LPGA’s lawsuit also follows a pattern of legal disputes involving JTBC. The Professional Golf Association (PGA) filed a similar suit in 2021 in Florida, seeking $700,000 in unpaid fees for the PGA Championship. The LPGA itself had previously filed a lawsuit against JTBC in 2020 over unpaid fees but withdrew it in December of that year after a negotiated settlement.
As the LPGA seeks to enforce its financial agreements and maintain the stability of its tournament schedule, the outcome of this case could have broader implications for future international media partnerships in professional golf.