🚨 TGL postponed until 2025

Hey there! We are back again so soon because of a bit of breaking news from earlier today — the much anticipated TGL golf league has been postponed until at least early 2025. 

Let’s get into it.

The launch of Tiger and Rory’s upstart virtual golf league TGL always felt rushed. 

January 9 was the intended start date, but just last month, aerial photos showed construction of the $50 million-plus SoFi stadium had barely begun. And, with roughly 50 days until its opening tee shot (hit into a massive screen), the league had only revealed the full rosters for two of its six teams — Boston Common and Atlanta Drive — while the squads from New York and San Francisco were still without names. 

Then, a windy night in the Palm Beach area last week caused a power outage, which caused the “air-supported canvas roof” to deflate and essentially, cave in. One roofing expert who spoke to Golf Magazine estimated the damages would take three months to repair — time the TGL did not have. 

On Monday, the league issued a statement that it’s probably dreaded for awhile now — it would delay its inaugural season an entire year, until early 2025. 

TGL officials said the decision “came after reviewing short-term solutions, potential construction timelines, player schedules, and the primetime sports television calendar.” 

• “Despite this new timeline for the venue, we remain excited about the future of TGL,” they said. 

Rory McIlory, who co-founded the group behind the endeavor, TMRW Sports, said in a statement that the “postponement brings mixed feelings of disappointment and excitement,” adding that more time will “allow us to regroup, refocus and return stronger.”

My take: Wow. 

The reasons for the postponement all make sense. TV slots with partner ESPN couldn’t be shifted and with even the slightest of delays, the TGL schedule would start to creep into major season for players — which is a big no, no. 

But still, wow. 

Maybe, like Rory said on Monday, the year-long delay will actually be a positive for the TGL. A rushed launch in early January could have made for a bad product, which runs the risk of losing viewers right from the get-go. 

On the flip side — there’s also something to getting a product out into the world, letting people react, and iterating. With Monday’s news, the TGL’s recently unveiled 15-hole format will now sit on the shelf for at least another year, untested and with the same lingering questions over how virtual golf will resonate with TV viewers at home. 

Another concern is around the players. Jon Rahm already bowed out, citing time commitment concerns. Will other big names follow suit over the next 12 months? And, what about guys like Lucas Glover and Kevin Kisner, who are tough to get excited about today. Will they become even more irrelevant (especially to the average viewer) by 2025? 

And lastly (there’s probably a lot more to cover, but I’ll spare you for now), I can’t stop thinking about Rory. Just a couple weeks back, McIlroy was wearing his Boston Common sport coat, throwing pitches at Fenway Park, and telling reporters that the live, TGL fan experience would be similar to sitting courtside at a basketball game. 

Now, something Rory put his name all over has failed to deliver and for one of the most outspoken players against LIV Golf, that has to be frustrating. Because no matter what you think of the LIV product, at least they launched. 

For Rory, though, winning majors almost certainly means far more than any TGL hiccup, and heading into 2024 there are high expectations. He’s playing great golf and recently, he stepped down from the PGA Tour policy board (a position Jordan Spieth filled today). Shedding those responsibilities could be what Rory needed to overcome his major drought and win one for the first time since 2014.  

Still, it’ll be interesting to watch if this TGL postponement passes (and we pick up the story again next Thanksgiving), or if it casts an unshakable shadow all next year for Rory. 

Thanks so much for reading y’all! If you enjoyed tonight’s newsletter, I’d love for you to share it with a family member or two over Thanksgiving. 

Talk soon and take care! - Nick B. 🦃