Pelley departs DP World Tour at crucial time for organization

Keith Pelley is leaving his position as head of the DP World Tour and will head home to head up Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment.

The news, first reported by TSN’s Rick Westhead, sees Pelley step down from his role in European professional golf after nearly 10 years at the helm.

The departure comes at a crucial time for the organization. The DP World Tour, PGA Tour and Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia are in negotiations to create a new entity that could rebuild the sport, and Pelley was believed to be heavily involved. The group originally had a deadline of Dec. 31 to finalize an agreement but extended that into March.

His departure comes just days after Martin Slumbers, the head of the R&A, announced he would depart his role at the end of 2024.

In his new position, Pelley will oversee one of North American sport’s biggest organizations. Among other things, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment oversees the operations of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors and the Major League Soccer club TFC. It also has extensions in the broadcast and hospitality sectors.

Pelley initially took over his role as chief executive officer of the European Tour in 2015, moving to Surrey, England, after stepping down from his role as president of Rogers Media where he negotiated a $5 billion contract for the broadcast rights to the National Hockey League.

As head of the European Tour, Pelley became well-liked by a majority of players and attempted to shake up what had been a relatively staid outfit. He started by being creative with tournaments. One event used a shot clock that limited the time each golfer had to play, hoping to speed up the game. It worked but was never instituted past a trial stage.

Another tournament was based on six-hole rounds, with Pelley saying that golf needed to get shorter and faster to fit into broadcast windows. That idea didn’t last either.

Among other changes he brought to the game was allowing players to wear shorts during practice rounds and have walk-up music for golfers as they came to the first tee.

“If you’re not prepared to change, if you’re not prepared to be innovative, if you’re not prepared to take chances, then I do believe that the sports that aren’t will fall behind,” Pelley said at a 2017 press conference.

Pelley built a strong relationship with PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, and together they attempted to synch the two tours more closely. There were co-sanctioned events as well exemptions for players from the European circuit to play on the PGA Tour.

The Canadian, known in European golf circles as much for his blue-framed eyeglasses as his bold moves, took the tour to Saudi Arabia in 2019, a controversial step that saw him criticized for going to the state with a record of human rights violations.

For the 2022 season, Pelley sold the title to the tour to DP World, a Dubai-based logistics company, changing it to the DP World Tour instead of the European Tour, a move that raised eyebrows.

Pelley faced a difficult situation when LIV Golf was started in 2022. Many top European Tour players left for the start-up and he was forced to suspend and fine them, a situation that eventually went to court where the tour won its case.

The European tour’s next steps will likely be decided by the outcome of the negotiations with the Public Investment Fund. Its 2024 season begins this week with an event in Dubai.