Rory McIlroy shakes hands with Tiger Woods on the 18th green after they complete a practice round before the 2023 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, April 3, 2023.
Christian Petersen | Getty Images
Disney’s ESPN has secured broadcast rights to air games from TGL, the start-up golf league led by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.
TGL, which is partnering with the PGA Tour, will debut Jan. 9 under a multiyear deal. A preview show will air on Disney’s ABC channel on December 30th.
The first games of the TGL season will air near other sporting events and air on Disney’s ESPN+, a move that will allow the streamer to secure more live sports rights.
The opening game will air the night after the College Football Playoff title game, and the second will air the following night after an NFL wild card playoff game. Both TGL games will air on traditional TV channel ESPN and streamer ESPN+. The remaining games will air on ESPN’s television networks and on ESPN+.
The launch of the new league comes as professional golf finds itself at a key crossroads following a proposed deal between the tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund-backed rival LIV Golf in June. The agreement between the PGA Tour and LIV has yet to be finalized. The tour has attracted potential outside investors, including Endeavor Group Holdings and Fenway Sports Group, CNBC recently reported. Some of the external investors are considering making a competing proposal to the PIF proposal.
TGL, a new high-tech prime-time golf league founded by Woods, McIlroy and former NBC Sports executive Mike McCarley, has attracted stars from the PGA Tour. In addition to Woods and McIlroy, other top players have signed, including Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Matt Fitzpatrick, Justin Rose, Adam Scott, Xander Schauffele, Max Homa, Rickie Fowler and Billy Horschel. Additional players are expected to be announced.
The PGA Tour is an investor in the new league and the new league has stated that the timing of the events will complement the schedules of the tour’s players.
Steve Cohen, billionaire owner of the MLB’s New York Mets, is also an investor, having purchased the charter rights to the New York team in TGL. His team is led by his family office, Cohen Private Ventures.
In the league, Tour players are divided into six teams that play two-hour head-to-head matches in a purpose-built arena in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The games will feature both live action and the latest golf technology.