Tiger Woods of the United States and Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland walk to the 11th fairway during a practice round prior to the 2023 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 3, 2023 in Augusta, Georgia.
Christian Petersen | Getty Images Sport | fake images
Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s indoor golf league, TGL, has postponed its inaugural season by one year to the start of 2025, the organization said Monday.
The decision comes after the roof of the new stadium planned to host TGL matches collapsed last week. The league said the power system used during construction of the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, failed, causing the dome structure to deflate.
The accident caused no injuries or damaged the league’s golf simulators or other technology, TGL said. But TGL delayed the season, which was expected to start in January, after speaking with key partners.
“This decision came after reviewing short-term solutions, potential construction schedules, player schedules and the primetime sports television schedule,” the league said in a statement. “We are confident that the extension will only improve our delivery.”
TGL, which counts the PGA Tour as a partner, was founded by McIlroy, Woods and former NBC executive Mike McCarthy. The trio wants to create a prime-time indoor golf league to attract new fans to the sport, as the rise of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf and then its proposed merger with the PGA Tour left golf at a crossroads. .
Woods was optimistic about the league’s future despite the delayed launch.
“While the events of last week will force us to make adjustments to our schedules, I have every confidence that our great, committed players will make this concept a reality,” Woods said in a statement Monday.
TGL has attracted some of the best golfers in the world as part of its lineup. It’s unclear how the new schedule might affect player participation.
The league has also attracted several high-profile team owners and investors, including hedge funder Steve Cohen, Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, Fenway Sports Group, technology founder Alexis Ohanian and tennis stars Serena and Venus Williams. Other investors in the league include basketball great Stephen Curry, racing driver Lewis Hamilton, soccer player Alex Morgan, singer Justin Timberlake and professional soccer players Tony Romo and Josh Allen.
TGL signed a multi-year media rights deal with ESPN in October to broadcast its events.
ESPN said it fully supports the decision to postpone the 2024 season.
“We’ve believed in them and their vision from the beginning, and that hasn’t changed. The additional time to plan, test and rehearse will only make it better,” said Rosalyn Durant, ESPN’s executive vice president of programming and acquisitions.
