ESPN acquires broadcast rights for TGL

TGL, the virtual golf league backed by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, and ESPN have agreed to a multi-year deal for the network to air the competition.

Both organizations announced the deal Thursday morning but did not disclose contract terms.

TGL will begin play in January. Twelve pro golfers have committed to play weekly matches in the league, which will run 15 two-hour matches before the semifinals and finals.

All matches will be played at SoFi Center on Palm Beach State College's campus in Florida, with the facility being built just for this purpose.

TGL programming will run across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN+. Coverage will kick off with a preview show on Dec. 30. The first match will be played on Jan. 9.

"Innovation and creativity are core to our ESPN mission and TGL will bring those tenets to life for golf fans," said Rosalyn Durant, ESPN executive vice president of programming and acquisitions. "TGL is going to be a two-hour presentation unlike anything you have seen before. All players will wear live microphones and viewers will have unprecedented access during competition. It's an exciting landscape for presenting golf and we look forward to bringing it to fans."

The 12 players currently committed to TGL are Woods, McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Collin Morikawa, Justin Thomas, Matt Fitzpatrick, Justin Rose, Adam Scott, Xander Schauffele, Max Homa, Rickie Fowler and Billy Horschel.

TMRW Sports, a firm created by Woods, McIlroy and media executive Mike McCarley, formed TGL.

So far, it has attracted big-name ownership, signed on to have their teams represent Los Angeles, Boston, Atlanta and New York.

The Los Angeles team is co-owned by Alexis Ohanian, wife Serena Williams, and her sister, Venus Williams. Fenway Sports Group owns the Boston squad. AMB Sports & Entertainment, run by Arthur Blank, will oversee Atlanta's franchise. The New York team, the latest to join the league, will be run by Cohen Private Ventures, the family office of New York Mets owner Steve Cohen, who bought the fourth TGL team in early September.

—Field Level Media