Wednesday, October 14, 2026

ESPN, Tiger-Rory Golf League Close To Long-Term Deal

  • New entity backed by Woods, McIlroy nears critical agreement
  • Pact follows a series of high-profile additions to team ownership
TGL/TMRW Sports

Want more from Front Office Sports
in your search results?

Add Front Office Sports on Google

Marking the latest significant development in the virtual golf league co-founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, TGL is closing in on a major media rights pact with ESPN, sources confirmed to Front Office Sports.

The developing pact will give the upstart TGL sizable consumer reach given ESPN’s dominant status on the sports media landscape. It is not yet immediately clear whether the competition will be shown on linear or digital platforms, or both. 

An announcement is expected in the coming weeks, in advance of TGL’s planned season starting in January, but an agreement is not yet signed.

Majority owned by Woods and McIlroy through a shared investment vehicle, TMRW Sports, the tech-infused TGL will operate in partnership with the PGA Tour and feature competition on simulated courses in an arena-style environment. 

TGL continues to bring in major star power to its ownership ranks with recent additions including New York Mets owner Steve Cohen, NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, Atlanta Falcons and United owner Arthur Blank, Fenway Sports Group, and the pairing of tennis superstar Serena Williams and husband and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian.

ESPN and parent company Disney, meanwhile, remain in the throes of significant transition of their own, including a recalibrating cable bundle and ongoing efforts to potentially bring outside investors for the sports media giant and perhaps sell ABC and its other linear networks.

Download the FOS App

The business of sports, in your pocket.

QR code to download the app

Scan the QR code to get the app now.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

ESPN Exec Mike Foss: Pat McAfee ‘Might Be a Journalist At Heart’

Foss said he had “absolutely nothing” to say to McAfee’s critics.

LPGA Commissioner: Good Good Driver Ad ‘Brutal’ Situation

Kessler said people should be allowed to make mistakes and ask for forgiveness.

Chris Berman: Damar Hamlin Incident Slowed NFL 18-Game Push

The NFL declined to comment on Berman’s comments.
Josh Pate Front Office Sports

How a Lunch in Atlanta Led to Josh Pate’s ESPN College Football Show

Pate told ESPN that legacy media was underserving college football fans.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

10/14/26 – Live From FOS’s Tuned In: Chris Berman on NFL’s 18-Game Push, Pablo Torre Says He’s Investigating LeBron’s Chopper, and More

0:00

Featured Today

Oct 5, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas arrives at the arena before the Penguins host the Winnipeg Jets at PPG Paints Arena

NHL’s New Wave of GMs Is Built Different

“I am in the prediction business,” Devils GM Sunny Mehta tells FOS.
Action Images/Peter Cziborra
October 9, 2026

Is Leicester City’s $264 Million Price Tag Too Rich for Hungry Investors?

After falling from grace, how much is a former top club worth?
Oct 3, 2026; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer waits to run onto the field prior to the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
October 7, 2026

Who Is Alabama Football in Year 3 Under Kalen DeBoer?

The No. 6 Crimson Tide host No. 2 Georgia on Saturday.
Cubs behind the scenes
October 6, 2026

Hollywood and TikTok: Sports Media’s New ‘Blueprint’

Teams and leagues are pouring money into the quest for fans.
October 2, 2026

How the Baseball Cap Became a ‘Behemoth’

The hat has become essential for athletes, fans, and the sports-agnostic.
Taylor Rooks
October 13, 2026

Taylor Rooks Defends Friendships With Athletes She Covers

“I actually think it sometimes might make it a little bit easier.”
October 13, 2026

Pablo Torre: More Coming on Clippers, Life Surge … and LeBron?

LeBron’s relationship with Fanatics allows him to use its helicopter.
Sponsored

Beyond the Scorecard: How Dow Is Putting Purpose at the Center of Women’s Golf

Discover how Dow and the LPGA are building a partnership with lasting impact.
October 13, 2026

Tirico Defends Michael Jordan Interview: ‘Completely Worth It’

Tirico says Jordan is “above the daily discourse” of the NBA.
Don Garber Front Office Sports
Exclusive
October 13, 2026

Post–World Cup Soccer Audiences Surge Among Young Viewers

Domestic and European leagues have seen post-tournament audience bumps.
Sep 27, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; NBC broadcast analyst Mike Tomlin before the game between Los Angeles Rams and Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Opinion
October 12, 2026

The Tomlin Effect? NFL Analysts More Blunt Than Ever

Rex Ryan is the latest ex-coach to break from the fraternity.
ESPN
October 12, 2026

Disney Stacks Super Bowl LXI Lineup With Even More Alt-Casts

Disney adds to its cross-platform coverage of the upcoming NFL title game.