Tiger Woods’ TGL golf league to debut on ESPN in the US

The Walt Disney company-backed sports brand ESPN has acquired the US rights to TGL presented by SoFi, the new tech-forward, team golf league developed by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s TMRW Sports in partnership with the PGA TOUR.

ESPN becomes the exclusive home of TGL matches in the US, with the league to debut on the platform in January 2024. TGL programming will be featured across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN+. With all matches to air on either ESPN or ESPN2 and simulcast on ESPN+.

The new golf league fuses advanced tech and live action, featuring players from the PGA Tour. According to TGL, technology is the foundational element to the sport, with a shorter format presentation of team golf, Currently, 12 players committed to playing in TGL have been announced, including Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Collin Morikawa, Justin Thomas, Matt Fitzpatrick, Justin Rose, Adam Scott, Xander Schauffele, Max Homa, Rickie Fowler, and Billy Horschel.

ABC will air a TGL preview show on December 30, with the inaugural TGL match to air in prime time on ESPN and ESPN+ on January 9.

“Innovation and creativity are core to our ESPN mission and TGL will bring those tenets to life for golf fans,” said Rosalyn Durant, Espn executive vice president, programming and acquisitions. “TGL is going to be a two-hour presentation unlike anything you have seen before. All players will wear live microphones and viewers will have unprecedented access during competition. It’s an exciting landscape for presenting golf and we look forward to bringing it to fans.”

Mike McCarley, founder & CEO, TMRW Sports and TGL said: “ESPN has embraced the concept from our very first meeting and we’re looking forward to launching TGL in prime time on ESPN and bringing our teams of the PGA TOUR’s biggest stars to their ESPN’s legion of sports fans. The two-hour match format has been designed for today’s sports fan, as it’s rooted in the traditions of golf, but adds technical elements that are unique to a modern, sports arena environment.”