ESPN nears broadcast rights deal with emerging golf league TGL

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ESPN is close to finalizing a broadcast rights deal with emerging golf league TGL, providing the upstart professional league led by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy as a media partner as it prepares to launch next year, people familiar with the matter said.

Terms of the deal, including value and term, have not yet been finalized but are expected to be finalized in the coming weeks, people familiar with the matter said. The first TGL season is expected to start in January. It’s unclear how many TGL games will be broadcast on ESPN’s cable network or its proprietary streaming platform.

An ESPN spokesman had no immediate comment. A TGL spokesman said they did not comment on ongoing negotiations.

The potential tie-up between ESPN and TGL comes at a critical time for the network and the golf business.

ESPN remains a high-profile part of Walt Disney’s empire, with CEO Bob Iger weighing future options for his media network. In a recent presentation to investors, Iger hinted that some of its linear TV channels could be sold and that Disney is exploring a business partnership with its sports giant ESPN. He said that moving live sports from television to streaming media is not a matter of “if” but “when”.

Media conglomerates and sports entities are rethinking the terms of their rights as more and more U.S. consumers refuse to subscribe to cable TV streaming services. This month, Warner Bros. Discovery Channel announced plans to simulcast some of its live sports events, including NBA games, on its Max streaming platform.

Meanwhile, professional golf is also roiled by a proposed merger between the US PGA Tour and the Saudi-backed LIV golf breakaway tour. McIlroy has long been an outspoken opponent of LIV and Woods was appointed to the PGA Tour board of directors last month at the request of other players, with the two sides still considering the terms of a possible merger.

Woods and McIlroy announced plans to launch TGL in August 2022, a new golf tournament format in which six teams compete weekly and is expected to be broadcast in prime time on Monday nights. Players will compete in front of a crowd on a newly constructed virtual simulator court in an arena environment.

The model has received support from Fenway Sports Group, hedge fund titan Steve Cohen, Home Depot founder Arthur Blank, Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian, who have all bought A team.

The PGA Tour is a partner in the TGL Alliance, which is majority-owned by Woods and McIlroy through their co-investment vehicle, TMRW Sports.

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