Tiger Woods’ new golf league is delaying the start of its season by a year after the venue’s roof collapses
Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s TGL indoor golf league has pushed back its inaugural season by a year to early 2025, the organization announced Monday.
The decision comes after the roof of the new arena where TGL games will take place collapsed last week. The league said the power system used in construction of the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, failed, causing a dome structure to lose air.
The accident did not cause injuries or damage the league’s golf simulators and other technology, TGL said. But TGL delayed the season, which was supposed to start in January, after discussions with key partners.
“This decision was made after reviewing short-term solutions, possible construction schedules, player schedules and the prime-time sports television calendar,” the league said in a statement. “We are confident that the extension will only improve our performance.”
TGL, whose partners include the PGA Tour, was founded by McIlroy, Woods and former NBC executive Mike McCarthy. The trio wants to create a primetime indoor golf league to attract new fans to the sport, as the emergence of Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf and the subsequent planned merger with the PGA Tour left golf at a crossroads.
Despite the delayed start, Woods was optimistic about the future of the league.
“While the events of the last week will force us to make adjustments to our schedules, I have every confidence that this concept will be brought to life by our great, dedicated players,” Woods said in a statement Monday.
TGL has added some of the best golfers in the world to its roster. It’s unclear how the new schedule might affect player participation.
The league has also attracted a number of high-profile team owners and investors, including hedge funds Steve CohenAtlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, Fenway Sports GroupTech founder Alexis Ohanian and tennis stars Serena and Venus Williams. Other investors in the league These include basketball star Stephen Curry, racing driver Lewis Hamilton, soccer player Alex Morgan, singer Justin Timberlake and professional soccer players Tony Romo and Josh Allen.
TGL has signed a multi-year media rights deal ESPN in October to broadcast its events.
ESPN stated that it fully supports the decision to postpone the 2024 season.
“We believed in them and their vision from the beginning and nothing has changed. The extra time to plan, test and rehearse will only make it better, said Rosalyn Durant, executive vice president, programming and acquisitions at ESPN.
