TGL renews media-rights partnership with ESPN
There was little surprise in the joint announcement made Thursday that ESPN and TMRW Sports, parent company of TGL, have agreed to a multi-year extension of their U.S. media rights partnership. In coverage of the first two seasons of the nascent indoor simulator league backed by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, the cable network and golf venture have been a logical fit.
The two-hour live programming from each match helps ESPN with inventory from January through March, a quieter time after the end of the NFL season and before the MLB season begins—not to mention satisfying ratings. And ESPN provides a place to try to expand golf’s current audience, with TGL officials contending that more than 30 percent of its viewers they are not regular watchers of professional golf.
“ESPN has been the ultimate partner in helping establish TGL, combining unparalleled promotion, reach and sports presentation,” said Rufus Hack, TMRW Sports’ president, golf, in a press release. “We believe deeply in the power of partnerships, and this extension reflects our shared ambition to take TGL to new levels while continuing to elevate the competition, storytelling and fan experience.”
Season 3 begins Sunday, Dec. 27 and features seven teams with the addition of Motor City Golf Club to the original roster. A full season schedule is expected to be released shortly, along with commentator and production details.
No financial terms for the partnership were released.
The question still to come for the upcoming TGL is who will be playing on which teams. Sources tell Golf Digest that a number of the players who competed the first two seasons did so on two-year deals, creating the possibility of some lineup turnover.
Earlier this year, TGL announced that Brooks Koepka would be joining the league as a member of Motor City G.C.
In Season 2, TGL had a total viewership of 21.782 million according to Golfweek, an 8 percent increase from its first year. The season-opener got 646,000 viewers with the peak telecast (989,000) coming between Tiger’s Jupiter Links team and Los Angeles. Season 2’s playoffs averaged 618,000 compared to 434,000 in Season 1 (a 42 percent increase).
“TGL has given golf something genuinely new, with top PGA Tour players competing in a fast-paced, made-for-primetime team format that puts fans closer to the action than ever before,” said Rosalyn Durant, ESPN executive VP, programming and acquisitions, said in a press release. “Our extended agreement ensures we will continue to showcase the best players in the game and continue the momentum of the league's first two seasons together.”
ESPN is also broadcasting the opening season of WTGL, which debuts in November.