Two Australian DJs were paid more than $2.5 million to perform at the Saudi-backed LIV golf tournament at the weekend, raising the stakes for major events determined to mix sport with entertainment.
Melbourne’s Dominic Matheson – better known by his stage name Dom Dolla – and fellow international sensation Fisher collected a combined sum of about $2.5 million for shows at The Grange Golf Club in Adelaide, according to two industry sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the confidential nature of the contracts.
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon was among the onlookers at The Grange as Chilean golfer Joaquin Niemann nailed a final hole birdie putt to win the tournament. Within moments of Niemann lifting the trophy thousands of people rushed to the live stage for Fisher’s two hour set, featuring his Grammy-nominated hit “Losing It”.
The festival that accompanied the golf in Adelaide was another clear sign that LIV is a drastic departure from the establishment, despite positive talks about reunification with the PGA Tour.
Major events such as the Australian Open tennis, the Melbourne Cup carnival and the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix are chasing musical acts to offer fans a festival or concert atmosphere alongside the sport, but the price tag to entice the biggest artists is increasingly eye-watering.
The industry sources said Dom Dolla’s contract with LIV precluded him from performing at other Australian sporting events within the same time period.
LIV was contacted for comment.
Dom Dolla performs at Coachella.Credit: Getty Images for Coachella
In July he will begin a 10-week residency at Hi Nightclub on the Spanish party island of Ibiza, while Fisher has taken up residency at UNVRS nightclub, also in Ibiza.
“Dom has been on this meteoric rise and is now probably one of the top 10 wanted DJs in the world right now,” said Tyson O’Brien, a prominent DJ and producer, who regularly plays alongside iconic DJ Harris.
“The DJ is the new rock band and you can see that through the music festival scene. The rock festival is essentially dead and all the headliners are dance guys.”
Patrick Reed lands a hole in one on day one at Adelaide.Credit: LIV GOLF
The Australian Grand Prix Corporation last week announced a music line-up headlined by Fatboy Slim and Melbourne singer/songwriter Tones and I.
Grand Prix boss Travis Auld last year told this masthead about his vision for the event to become more of a festival.
LIV, which has extended its deal with the South Australian government until 2031, attracted 102,483 people to this year’s Adelaide event over the three days, organisers said.
LIV, financially backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, signed many of the world’s best golfers, such as Masters champion John Rahm and Australia’s British Open winner Cameron Smith, to contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars, and supercharged the merging of sport with entertainment.
That was particularly evident on the 12th hole at The Grange, also known as The Watering Hole, where the golfers entered the arena to their favourite songs blaring through speakers, before attempting to hole out.
American Patrick Reed made an ace on Friday, prompting fans to hurl empty and half-filled beer cups onto the greens, showering players in ale.
