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- TGL will feature six franchises based on geographical locations
- Purpose-built venue will be in Palm Beach, Florida
Tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams, along with the latter’s husband Alexis Ohanian, have become the first ownership group to purchase a franchise in TMRW Sports’ tech-focused TGL golf league venture.
The Los Angeles Golf Club (LAGC) will be one of six teams to compete in the series founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, with 15 team-based events scheduled to begin in January 2024. The TGL broadcasts are set to be two hours long and take place at a purpose built venue in Palm Beach, Florida.
Each of the six teams up for sale will have a geographical affiliation, with the Williams sisters and Reddit founder Ohanian opting for Los Angeles given the latter’s ownership of National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) franchise Angel City FC.
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“Los Angeles is the perfect home for our TGL team,” said Ohanian. “This city embodies the intersection of sports, technology, and entertainment, making it an ideal backdrop for the innovation and excitement we aim to bring to the world of golf and its fans.
“We see tremendous opportunities to leverage technology to bring golf closer to its fans and to provide an immersive and interactive experience that will captivate both seasoned golf enthusiasts and new fans.”
Each team owner will receive three percent equity stake in the competition and will participate in a revenue sharing model said to resemble that of the National Football League (NFL). Team specific revenue is projected to grow from US$4.4 million in 2024 to US$13.3 million in 2033.
“We’re honored to welcome Alexis, Serena, and Venus as one of TGL’s original six team ownership groups,” said McCarley. “Through his ownership of Angel City FC, Alexis has established himself as a trailblazer in the Southern California professional sports scene. In a very short period of time, Angel City has both planted strong roots in the community and built tremendous value. His deep passion for the projects he undertakes combined with his innovative thinking, strategic prowess, and demonstrated success in social media and tech-focused ventures, is important as we build towards the launch of TGL.
“Alexis and Serena have been a part of the TMRW Sports family as investors and their enthusiasm, along with Venus, for what we’re building with TGL has been infectious. Serena and Venus represent an important part of not just TMRW Sports and TGL’s mission of access to sports for kids and families, but also an important part of the spirit and purpose of LA Golf Club.”
TGL represents the first project launched by TMRW Sports which aims to use technological innovation and a shorter format to appeal to a wider audience. The launch of TGL was widely seen as a way to combat any threat from the Saudi-backed LIV Golf’s innovations and provide the PGA Tour’s leading players an opportunity to increase their earnings.
Alongside Woods and McIlroy, 12 players have committed to playing in the TGL, including Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Matt Fitzpatrick, Justin Rose, Adam Scott, Xander Schauffele, Max Homa, Billy Horschel, and Rickie Fowler.
The announcement of the new ownership comes just days after the PGA Tour confirmed it was merging with LIV Golf following a lengthy legal dispute, potentially bringing to an end two years of disruption in the men’s game.
