An exterior rendering of the SoFi Center, the indoor venue that will host the high-tech, prime time … [+]
TGL, the high-tech, prime time golf league backed by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s TMRW Sports that begins play early next year, has its first Founding Partner. And it’s a company that’s prominently involved in the world of traditional golf: Genesis.
Not only does the multiyear partnership position Genesis as the official automobile company of TGL, it provides a different platform within professional golf to showcase how the both the company and new league are marrying design, technology and innovation. While financial terms weren’t disclosed, TGL is expected to have a handful of Founding Partner deals in the neighborhood of $5 million to $8 million annually for category exclusivity.
Genesis and Woods already have an existing relationship, with Woods and his TGR Foundation as the host of the PGA Tour’s Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club. Genesis also sponsors the Scottish Open and is involved with the Presidents Cup and DP World Tour, as well as the KPGA Tour’s co-sanctioned Genesis Championship in South Korea. TGL’s unique blend of golf, media and entertainment had considerable appeal for the company, said Genesis Global Head Mike Song.
“We’re eager for the launch of TGL this January and bringing Genesis’ audacious and distinctly Korean brand DNA to a whole new generation of golfers and golf fans through this exciting new team golf platform,” Song said.
Hideki Matsuyama lines up a putt during his victory at this year’s Genesis Invitational, one of a … [+]
TGL is an indoor league, played within a custom-built arena in South Florida — the SoFi Center — that has 1,500 seats and features both “Greenplay” and “Screenplay.” The former will involve PGA Tour pros playing shots within a 40-yard-wide short game complex, while the latter will see players hitting into an IMAX-sized screen that’s 20 times larger than a standard golf simulator.
Simulated golf is big business in South Korea, where more rounds are played indoors than outdoors and a golf simulator company like Golfzon has more than 5,500 locations.
As a Founding Partner, Genesis will be featured prominently in commercials on ESPN and ESPN+ when the league debuts in January 2025, with the first team matches played on Tuesday nights during the NFL playoffs and the new 12-team college football playoff. TGL had been scheduled to begin play in January of this year but pushed back a year after the original venue’s air-supported dome on the campus of Palm Beach State College deflated and was damaged following a power failure.
TGL has other prominent international media partners as well, among them JTBC/Phoenix Sports International in South Korea.
Genesis will also be involved in on-site activations at the SoFi Center and have in-venue LED signage, with a sponsorship presence not unlike that seen in NBA and NHL arenas. Founding Partners will additionally be a part of a hospitality and suite program within the SoFi Center, allowing them to tie in high-end golf getaways in the golf-rich Palm Beach market or simply allow clients in colder weather regions to escape to South Florida during the peak season of January through March.
“The Genesis brand aligns perfectly with TGL through their commitment to designing exceptional and innovative products, and their demonstrated commitment to golf all around the world,” said Mike McCarley, the CEO and founder of TMRW Sports and TGL. “We value their focus on providing unique, world-class experiences to consumers. We look forward to working with Genesis to promote TGL and its teams to a global fan base in new and engaging ways.”
The Genesis Invitational is the most prominent event Genesis is involved with within the golf space. … [+]
The Founding Partner announcement comes amid a flurry of activity for the new league, which recently completed a Series A investment in TMRW Sports, added several new limited partners including singer-songwriter Niall Horan (Boston Common Golf) and television producer and screenwriter Shonda Rhimes (Los Angeles Golf Club), and filled out its player rosters with the final addition of Hideki Matsuyama.
Each of the six inaugural teams are comprised of four PGA Tour players, with three competing in each match. Woods’ team, for example – Jupiter Links Golf Club – also features Max Homa, Tom Kim and Kevin Kisner. McIlroy’s Boston Common team, meanwhile, also includes Keegan Bradley, Adam Scott and Matsuyama.