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PALM BEACH GARDENS — Mike McCarley, the man behind the TGL concept, calls it a "seminal moment."
TGL, the indoor, high-tech golf league, co-founded by McCarley, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy and played out of the new SoFi Center, was off to nice start. It was successful by most accounts – despite a few startup glitches.
Yet one thing was missing.
Drama.
With the exception of one overtime match between the teams anchored by Woods and McIlroy, the league was lacking the suspense that would bring out the competitive nature of these world-class PGA Tour golfers. One that would show us in this unique mic'd-up setting how the mood can swing from playful taunts and gut-busting laughter to tension and behind-the-scenes strategizing.
Then, five-weeks after the league's launch, during a Presidents Day tripleheader, it happened. Three matches decided by 1 point each, highlighted by Atlanta's Patrick Cantlay's chip to within 6 feet in overtime and Wyndham Clark's walk-off 10-foot putt for The Bay and five fist-pumping chip-ins.
That turning point, not coincidentally, aligned with the league's biggest in-season adjustment. Until then, the Hammer, that potential game-changing yellow hankie, was an afterthought, stuffed in a back pocket and rarely thrown. Then, with a simple tweak, it became a weapon that could change a match.
And now …
"We're sitting here with a product that has found an audience," McCarley said last week from his suite overlooking the SoFi Center.
TGL could not have asked for a better ending: two semifinal matches that served as the appetizers to the main meal: A thrilling final series between Atlanta and New York that went down to the final hole in both matches. It also produced the wildest scene of the year when Billy Horschel holed an 18-foot putt in Game 2 to essentially seal Atlanta's championship.
After the Champagne corks were popped and confetti had fallen, after the DIRTY BIRD chains were handed out the winners, after all the viral moments, the lights dimmed on the SoFi Center and work got started on Year 2. But not before reliving a successful inaugural season.
"Obviously it is a little bit of a challenge with everything we've got going through the year with our own schedules, but I don't think anyone has ever walked away and said this felt like a burden," Horschel said. "It's just something new and exciting and we all enjoyed it."
Said Justin Thomas, Horschel's teammate who helped him line up that clutch putt: "It's completely exceeded my expectations. It's been a blast."
The founders – McCarley, Woods and McIlroy – didn't know what to expect.
Really, no one did.
Not with such a unique project that asked 24 of the greatest golfers in the world to do something they, or anyone else, never has done … play simulated golf inside an 250,000-square-foot arena with a massive screen, shot clock, rotating synthetic turf green and in front of a television audience that at times surpassed 1 million viewers.
"We were looking to create something in an environment that was going to have that prime-time, team element," McCarley said. "And then, if you were going to create a new version of sport in this decade, what would it look like? It's got to be short form for shorter attention spans, so two hours. How do you do it? Every single shot will be seen live."
Add in partnering with iconic brands, streams of data, every shot being shown on live television, made-for-social-media moments, and "ultimately, this is kind of what came out of it," McCarley said
"To check all of those boxes in year one … home run," he added.
And to have this you needed interest from players and potential investors. Having the two biggest names in the sport in on the ground floor brought instant credibility.
That led to a solid roster in which 22 of the 24 players appeared in the top 50 in the world during the three-month season, including 12 of the top 15 in the current ranking.
And a group of owners and investors that fit nicely into Palm Beach's Billionaire's Row. The buy-in for each ownership group: Around $50 million.
McCarley said the attitude for players started at a "curiosity" before they started to "lean in."
And now.
"These guys have bought into the concept, bought into the clubs, the teams they play for, and you see the teamwork on each team, how the players communicate," Woods said. "They're really enjoying it."
Tiger said he watched every match in which he did not play and was impressed by the way his peers bought into the concept.
"It was neat to see," he said. "These are the guys that I know. These are the personalities that I've seen on Tour. But I think the fans (have seen) them in a different way."
TGL has momentum going into Year 2. Television ratings exceeded ESPN's expectations with an overall average of 500,000 viewers; 650,000 for the 10 prime-time matches on EPSN (nine were carried by ESPN2).
Of that, 41% of the audience was in the 18-49 demographic, the second-highest in sports, 1% behind the NBA.
Expansion is a strong possibility. Potential investors scouted out the league during the season. McCarley says the list of players interested in joining has grown, especially from those who live in Palm Beach County. Half of the 24 players in the league this year have a home in the area.
"We started eight, nine months ago, and I told everyone on our staff to start making your Season 2 list now, because there are going to be things that we see in the run up that we're just not going to have time to get to for Season 1," McCarley said.
TGL's "retrospective process" will include input from players, owners, agents, media partners, sponsors and fans.
Players especially will have a voice on the future after such a unique experience that created all kinds of challenges, especially to their schedules. Xander Schauffele said players have talked about the possibility of the season ending before The Players Championship, which is played the second week of March.
And if there is any doubt the league will listen, all you have to do is check out the midseason adjustment to the Hammer rule that came after an outcry from not just the players but also those on social media.
"I've been sort of a part of this since it was just an idea," McIlroy said. "To see it come to life this year and to see the reception (it's gotten), that's been really, really cool and something that I know I'm very proud of and all the teams behind this concept are very proud of, as well."
Tom D'Angelo is a senior sports columnist and reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at tdangelo@pbpost.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Tiger Woods' TGL looking to improve off successful inaugural season
Continue reading...
TGL, the indoor, high-tech golf league, co-founded by McCarley, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy and played out of the new SoFi Center, was off to nice start. It was successful by most accounts – despite a few startup glitches.
Yet one thing was missing.
Drama.
With the exception of one overtime match between the teams anchored by Woods and McIlroy, the league was lacking the suspense that would bring out the competitive nature of these world-class PGA Tour golfers. One that would show us in this unique mic'd-up setting how the mood can swing from playful taunts and gut-busting laughter to tension and behind-the-scenes strategizing.
Then, five-weeks after the league's launch, during a Presidents Day tripleheader, it happened. Three matches decided by 1 point each, highlighted by Atlanta's Patrick Cantlay's chip to within 6 feet in overtime and Wyndham Clark's walk-off 10-foot putt for The Bay and five fist-pumping chip-ins.
That turning point, not coincidentally, aligned with the league's biggest in-season adjustment. Until then, the Hammer, that potential game-changing yellow hankie, was an afterthought, stuffed in a back pocket and rarely thrown. Then, with a simple tweak, it became a weapon that could change a match.
And now …
"We're sitting here with a product that has found an audience," McCarley said last week from his suite overlooking the SoFi Center.
Atlanta-New York final caps successful inaugural TGL season
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TGL could not have asked for a better ending: two semifinal matches that served as the appetizers to the main meal: A thrilling final series between Atlanta and New York that went down to the final hole in both matches. It also produced the wildest scene of the year when Billy Horschel holed an 18-foot putt in Game 2 to essentially seal Atlanta's championship.
After the Champagne corks were popped and confetti had fallen, after the DIRTY BIRD chains were handed out the winners, after all the viral moments, the lights dimmed on the SoFi Center and work got started on Year 2. But not before reliving a successful inaugural season.
"Obviously it is a little bit of a challenge with everything we've got going through the year with our own schedules, but I don't think anyone has ever walked away and said this felt like a burden," Horschel said. "It's just something new and exciting and we all enjoyed it."
Said Justin Thomas, Horschel's teammate who helped him line up that clutch putt: "It's completely exceeded my expectations. It's been a blast."
You must be registered for see images attach
The founders – McCarley, Woods and McIlroy – didn't know what to expect.
Really, no one did.
Not with such a unique project that asked 24 of the greatest golfers in the world to do something they, or anyone else, never has done … play simulated golf inside an 250,000-square-foot arena with a massive screen, shot clock, rotating synthetic turf green and in front of a television audience that at times surpassed 1 million viewers.
"We were looking to create something in an environment that was going to have that prime-time, team element," McCarley said. "And then, if you were going to create a new version of sport in this decade, what would it look like? It's got to be short form for shorter attention spans, so two hours. How do you do it? Every single shot will be seen live."
Add in partnering with iconic brands, streams of data, every shot being shown on live television, made-for-social-media moments, and "ultimately, this is kind of what came out of it," McCarley said
"To check all of those boxes in year one … home run," he added.
And to have this you needed interest from players and potential investors. Having the two biggest names in the sport in on the ground floor brought instant credibility.
That led to a solid roster in which 22 of the 24 players appeared in the top 50 in the world during the three-month season, including 12 of the top 15 in the current ranking.
And a group of owners and investors that fit nicely into Palm Beach's Billionaire's Row. The buy-in for each ownership group: Around $50 million.
McCarley said the attitude for players started at a "curiosity" before they started to "lean in."
And now.
"These guys have bought into the concept, bought into the clubs, the teams they play for, and you see the teamwork on each team, how the players communicate," Woods said. "They're really enjoying it."
Tiger said he watched every match in which he did not play and was impressed by the way his peers bought into the concept.
"It was neat to see," he said. "These are the guys that I know. These are the personalities that I've seen on Tour. But I think the fans (have seen) them in a different way."
Players, owners, fans will have say in improving TGL
You must be registered for see images attach
TGL has momentum going into Year 2. Television ratings exceeded ESPN's expectations with an overall average of 500,000 viewers; 650,000 for the 10 prime-time matches on EPSN (nine were carried by ESPN2).
Of that, 41% of the audience was in the 18-49 demographic, the second-highest in sports, 1% behind the NBA.
Expansion is a strong possibility. Potential investors scouted out the league during the season. McCarley says the list of players interested in joining has grown, especially from those who live in Palm Beach County. Half of the 24 players in the league this year have a home in the area.
You must be registered for see images
"We started eight, nine months ago, and I told everyone on our staff to start making your Season 2 list now, because there are going to be things that we see in the run up that we're just not going to have time to get to for Season 1," McCarley said.
TGL's "retrospective process" will include input from players, owners, agents, media partners, sponsors and fans.
Players especially will have a voice on the future after such a unique experience that created all kinds of challenges, especially to their schedules. Xander Schauffele said players have talked about the possibility of the season ending before The Players Championship, which is played the second week of March.
And if there is any doubt the league will listen, all you have to do is check out the midseason adjustment to the Hammer rule that came after an outcry from not just the players but also those on social media.
"I've been sort of a part of this since it was just an idea," McIlroy said. "To see it come to life this year and to see the reception (it's gotten), that's been really, really cool and something that I know I'm very proud of and all the teams behind this concept are very proud of, as well."
Tom D'Angelo is a senior sports columnist and reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at tdangelo@pbpost.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Tiger Woods' TGL looking to improve off successful inaugural season
Continue reading...
