Category: TGL

TGL announces official launch date and unveils rendering of new arena design

TGL will debut Tuesday, Jan. 7 in prime time on ESPN and ESPN+ in the U.S.

TGL announced the launch dates of its inaugural season in January 2025 on Monday and released the first renderings of its new stadium.

The team virtual-golf league backed by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s TMRW Sports will debut Tuesday, Jan. 7 in prime time on ESPN and ESPN+ in the U.S.

The six-team league of PGA Tour pros competing in a fast-paced form of team golf within the custom-built SoFi Center, a 250,000-square-foot venue on the campus of Palm Beach State College in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, suffered a setback when the roof collapsed on the original tech-infused arena for golf due to a power failure, causing damage to the air-supported dome. The virtual golf league was postponed for this year.

According to a press release, SoFi Center will create an intimate and unique “greenside” fan experience with 1,500 seats wrapping around TGL’s field of play, which at 97 yards long and 50 yards wide is almost the size of a football field. New design plans for SoFi Center’s steel-supported structure have been officially unveiled.

Courtesy TGL presented by SoFi

“As we plan the 2025 launch of TGL presented by SoFi, we now have the first three Tuesdays in January circled to introduce sports fans to this new form of team golf. January is a tremendous time of year for fans looking for prime-time sports and TGL’s launch will complement the start of the PGA Tour season and take advantage of ESPN’s promotional machine across their coverage of the NFL and college football playoffs,” said Mike McCarley, founder and CEO of TMRW Sports.

The integration of the league’s technology mix starts with teams teeing off from real grass tee boxes to play custom-designed, virtual holes projected onto a 3,000-square-foot screen (64 feet by 46 feet), more than 20 times larger than a standard golf simulator screen. Once teams are inside approximately 50 yards they will transition to live action and finish each hole within TGL’s GreenZone, a 22,475-square-foot short game complex that transforms between holes. The GreenZone will use advanced technology to make each hole a unique challenge for the teams, including its 41-yard-wide turntable that rotates the green and three bunkers to change approach angles and using nearly 600 motorized actuators as part of Full Swing’s Virtual Green technology embedded under the synthetic putting surface to morph its topography.

TGL’s technology mix allows for every shot to be broadcast live, teams playing within a 40-second shot clock, all players being mic’d, delivery of advance shot data, and other broadcast enhancements.

So far, three of the team rosters have been announced:

Atlanta Drive GC: Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, Billy Horschel, and Lucas Glover.

Boston Common Golf: Rory McIlroy, Keegan Bradley, Adam Scott and fourth team member to be announced.

Los Angeles GC: Tommy Fleetwood, Sahith Theegala, Collin Morikawa, and Justin Rose.

Jupiter Links GC: Tiger Woods and remaining roster to be announced.

TGL New York: To be announced.

TGL San Francisco: To be announced.

Additional Committed TGL Players: Wyndham Clark, Xander Schauffele, Max Homa, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tom Kim, Cameron Young, Min Woo Lee, Rickie Fowler, Shane Lowry, and Kevin Kisner.

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TMRW Sports changes plans for TGL, to build steel venue, per report

Construction on the venue is not expected to impact TGL’s planned launch date of January 2025.

The TGL is going to have an upgraded venue when it begins in January 2025.

TMRW Sports is building an updated structure before the TGL launches next year, according to the Sports Business Journal. The league postponed its initial launch plans after the competition bubble at the SoFi Center at Palm Beach State College in Florida was damaged in November.

TMRW Sports has plans to build a structure with insulated steel walls and a steel-supported roof, according to SBJ. Seating capacity isn’t expected to change, and the dimensions of the facility will also remain similar. The full footprint for SoFi Center’s plaza is 250,000 square feet, while the venue footprint itself is 150,000 square feet.

The newly built SoFi Center will be rated to withstand a Category 5 hurricane, whereas the air-supported venue that was damaged in November was only rated to withstand a Category 4.

“TMRW Sports was pleased to have the opportunity to provide an update on its plan for constructing the upgraded venue using improved design elements and materials,” a TMRW Sports spokesperson said in a statement to Golfweek. “The College is performing their duty and asking the right questions as part of a standard due diligence process.

“Our aim is to create a venue that the College and Palm Beach communities, as well as our fans and partners, will enjoy visiting for years to come. This is part of the process, and we are appreciative of both our wide-ranging partnership with Palm Beach State College and their agreement to create a special March meeting date ahead of their regularly scheduled meeting on April 16.”

SBJ reported TMRW Sports co-founder Mike McCarley made a presentation to Palm Beach State College’s Board of Trustees in February looking for an amendment to the lease for the facility, and the group is scheduled to vote on it next Tuesday or Friday, according to its website.

Construction on the venue could begin as soon as the college’s BOT approves the plan. Construction on the venue is not expected to impact TGL’s planned launch date of January 2025.

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy-backed TGL pushes start date to 2025 due to recent stadium issue

“The postponement brings mixed feelings of disappointment and excitement,” said Rory McIlroy.

Just 50 days before the first TGL event was scheduled to be played the new tech-infused golf league led by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy has announced play will be postponed until early 2025.

According to the league, a temporary power system and its backup system caused the SoFi Center dome – the host venue that was still under construction for TGL matches on the campus of Palm Beach State College – to deflate overnight on Tuesday, Nov. 14. While the air-supported dome section of the venue was damaged, there were no injuries and the league reports that most of the technology was not impacted.

A league statement noted the decision was made after the review of short-term solutions, potential construction timelines, player schedules and the primetime sports television calendar. TGL matches were slated to be broadcast by ESPN starting Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, the day after the College Football Playoff National Championship.

“The postponement brings mixed feelings of disappointment and excitement. Above all, we are happy that no one was injured. We are looking forward to the launch of TGL,” McIlroy said. “Given the circumstances, while the delay is disappointing, the postponement will allow us to regroup, refocus and return stronger.”

“I’ve been a believer in TGL, and as the momentum has built this past year, I’m even more excited about what this can become for fans of the game all around the world,” Woods added. “Although the events of last week will force us to make adjustments to our timelines, I’m fully confident that this concept will be brought to life by our great committed players.”

Jon Rahm, the first player to join co-founders Woods and McIlroy, backed out of the league in earlier this month by saying, “While I still think it’s a great opportunity, right now it would require a level of commitment that I can’t offer.”

The league will feature six teams of four PGA Tour players who will compete in 15 regular season matches followed by semifinal and final matches.

ESPN released a statement from Rosalyn Durant, ESPN Executive Vice President, Programming and Acquisitions: “We are partners with TGL and fully support their decision. We have believed in them and their vision from the beginning, and that has not changed. The additional time to plan, test and rehearse will only make it better. We look forward to launching the inaugural season on ESPN.”

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Video shows extensive damage to TGL’s SoFi Center — and the league is supposed to debut in 53 days

Will the league start on time?

On Wednesday, photos surfaced of the collapsed roof of the TGL’s SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. On Friday, we got an aerial look at the extensive damage.

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“An overnight failure to the temporary power system used during the construction phase caused partial deflation and limited damage to the air-supported dome section of the site,” according to a statement from TMRW Sports. “The dome section has been further deflated by our crew and will remain down while they work to remedy the situation. There were no injuries, and no technology was impacted. Other work on site will continue.”

The SoFi Center will be a 250,000-square-foot venue that will accommodate approximately 1,600 people on match nights. Players will hit off of real grass into a 64×46-foot screen. For shots within 50 yards, players will transition to a custom-built “Green Zone” that is larger than four basketball courts and includes three 15×27-foot Virtual Greens. Each green features 189 actuators and jacks that change the slope of the green to create a variety of play on every TGL hole.

Dome of the TGL’s SoFi Center in Florida has collapsed

The league’s first match is scheduled for Jan. 9.

The dome of the SoFi Center — the future home of the TGL — has collapsed.

The new stadium is being constructed on the campus of Palm Beach State College in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and will host the league’s first match on Jan. 9.

The SoFi Center will be a 250,000-square-foot venue that will accommodate approximately 1,600 people on match nights. Players will hit off of real grass into a 64×46-foot screen. For shots within 50 yards, players will transition to a custom-built “Green Zone” that is larger than four basketball courts and includes three 15×27-foot Virtual Greens. Each green features 189 actuators and jacks that change the slope of the green to create a variety of play on every TGL hole.

“An overnight failure to the temporary power system used during the construction phase caused partial deflation and limited damage to the air-supported dome section of the site,” according to a statement from TMRW Sports. “The dome section has been further deflated by our crew and will remain down while they work to remedy the situation. There were no injuries, and no technology was impacted. Other work on site will continue.”

On Wednesday, Sahith Theegala was announced as the second member of the Los Angeles Golf Club, joining Collin Morikawa.

Sahith Theegala becomes second member of TGL’s Los Angeles Golf Club

TGL’s rosters are starting to take shape.

On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Golf Club announced Sahith Theegala as the second member of its TGL team, joining two-time major champion Collin Morikawa.

The rosters for the tech-infused league headed by Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and their joint venture TMRW Sports are starting to take shape.

The entire Boston Common Golf roster has been announced — McIlroy, Keegan Bradley, Adam Scott and Tyrrell Hatton — as well as the Atlanta Drive GC — Justin Thomas, Billy Horschel, Patrick Cantlay and Lucas Glover.

As of now, the only other player associated with a team is Woods, who also co-owns the Jupiter Links GC.

Theegala earned his first PGA Tour win earlier this year at the Fortinet Championship and is one of the fan-favorites on Tour after his “Full Swing” episode on Netflix.

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NBC Sports to air docuseries on Rory McIlroy’s TGL team, Boston Common Golf

ESPN will broadcast all TGL matches beginning Jan. 9, 2024.

ESPN is the broadcaster for TGL – the new tech-infused golf league led by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy – when matches begin Jan. 9, 2024, but a docuseries on one of the six teams will be airing on an NBC affiliate.

NBC Sports Next, a subdivision of NBC Sports, will stream the working titled “The Making of a Boston Sports Team” early in 2024. The series will follow McIlroy and his teammates Keegan Bradley, Adam Scott and Tyrrell Hatton in the new league’s first year and will be available via NBC Sports Next, Peacock and New England Sports Network (NESN).

NBC Sports Next and its GolfNow product have formed a multi-year partnership with Boston Common Golf that will feature exclusive sponsorship opportunities through the team as well as offer VIP opportunities and experiences for customers. McIlroy, the captain of Boston Common Golf, is also the co-founder of GolfPass, a digital golf membership program that is under the wing of NBC Sports Next.

“We are excited to partner with GolfNow and collaborate to bring engaging content to fans through our new team,” said Boston Common Golf President and CEO Mark Lev. “A captivating docuseries chronicling the team’s formation will serve as the cornerstone of this foundational partnership and that’s just the beginning.”

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Tiger Woods to be dual player and owner for his TGL team, Jupiter Links Golf Club

All six ownership groups have been announced for the new league.

The ownership group for the sixth and final team in the new tech-infused golf league led by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy features none other than the 15-time major winner.

Woods’ TGR Ventures and David Blizter are the owners of Jupiter Links Golf Club, which will compete against Atlanta Drive GC, Boston Common Golf, Los Angeles Golf Club, TGL New York and TGL San Francisco.

“Having the opportunity to not only compete, but also own a team to represent Jupiter is an exciting next chapter for me,” said Woods via a press release. “I expect Jupiter Links GC to showcase the golf culture of my hometown as we compete against the best players in the world.”

Blitzer founded Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment with Josh Harris and is co-chairman and managing partner of a portfolio that includes the Philadelphia 76ers (NBA), New Jersey Devils (NHL) and Joe Gibbs Racing. Blitzer also is a co-owner of the Cleveland Guardians (MLB) and Washington Commanders (NFL), a partner of Crystal Palace Football Club (English Premier League) and owns stakes in various soccer clubs around the world.

Six teams of four PGA Tour players will compete in 15 regular season matches, starting Jan. 9, 2024, followed by semifinals and finals matches all at a high-tech short-game complex that was purpose-built on the campus of Palm Beach State College in Florida.

The two competing teams will name their three players ahead of each match, and all six will be mic’d up during the competition. While some teams have already been announced, full team rosters, names, brands and front-office staff will all be announced later this year.

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TGL format takes page from basketball with shot clock, timeouts and referees

A 40-second shot clock will aim to slow play in the tech-infused golf league led by Tiger and Rory.

Like a leaking faucet, the slow drip of news from Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s new tech-infused golf league continued on Monday with more updates to its unique format.

Last week, TGL released its competition format, but this week the league announced that matches would feature a shot clock, timeouts and a referee. That’s right, slow play haters, a shot clock is coming to golf.

Players will have 40 seconds to hit a shot, or else a shot clock violation will incur a one-stroke penalty. Each team will have four timeouts per match, two for each session of play. Similar to the NFL, there is no rollover of unused timeouts, and teams cannot call consecutive timeouts during a single shot.

The league also stated a referee “with experience with timeouts, shot clocks, and the dynamics of team sports” will be on hand, which would hint at a basketball referee. A rules of golf official will also be in a booth to monitor the action. The referee and booth official will be responsible for managing and enforcing the shot clock.

“Instituting a shot clock and timeouts will help make matches entertaining, fast-paced, and exciting for sports fans,” said Mike McCarley, CEO and founder of TMRW Sports and TGL. “These elements also add another level of strategy for the players in how they approach team decisions similar to other sports,”

Six teams of four PGA Tour players will compete in 15 regular season matches, starting Jan. 9, 2024, followed by semifinals and finals matches all at a high-tech short-game complex that was purpose-built on the campus of Palm Beach State College in Florida.

The two competing teams will name their three players ahead of each match, and all six will be mic’d up during the competition. While some teams have already been announced, full team rosters, names, brands and front-office staff will all be announced later this year.

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Boston-based TGL squad features Rory McIlroy, local favorite Keegan Bradley

Bradley is an avid Boston sports fan and won a high school state championship in Massachusetts in 2004.

It’s been a good news, bad news morning for TGL, the new tech-infused golf league led by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.

The bad news? Jon Rahm will no longer be playing in 2024 when the league begins in January. The good news? Team rosters are now being announced.

The Boston-based team, named Boston Common Golf, became the first squad to announce its four-player roster of McIlroy, Keegan Bradley, Tyrrell Hatton and Adam Scott on Thursday morning. Justin Thomas (Atlanta) and Collin Morikawa (Los Angeles) were the first two players to sign with a team.

The signing of Bradley to the Boston team makes sense given his ties to the Northeast. The six-time PGA Tour winner and 2011 PGA champion grew up in Vermont and briefly lived in a Boston suburb in high school.

McIlroy, the world No. 2, is a four-time major champion and 27-time winner on the PGA Tour. Two of those wins came in the Boston area at the former Deutsche Bank Championship, held annually from 2003-18 at TPC Boston in Norton, Massachusetts.

Hatton’s fiery personality would fit in well in parts of Boston, not to mention the six-time European Tour winner and 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational champion has a strong relationship with McIlroy from their time spent together on the three European Ryder Cup teams.

Scott is a 14-time winner on Tour, including the 2003 Deutsche Bank Championship, 2004 Players Championship and 2013 Masters.

The first TGL match is slated to air on ESPN on Jan. 9, 2024. More on the league format can be found here.

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