Love It Or Hate It, TGL Is Winning

It’s been an up-and-down start to TGL, pro golf’s first major simulator league.

On one side, the negative column has been filled with valid criticisms.

The technology is clearly subpar as we’ve seen several malfunctions, including the sim totally whiffing on a Tommy Fleetwood shot. We’ve been vocal about this at MyGolfSpy by simply pointing out how absurd it is to have this issue when better launch monitor solutions exist.

On top of tech issues, TGL has sometimes suffered from blowout matches, boring player personalities, too long of a TV window and inconsistent scheduling/timing of matches.

For some, those factors have made it difficult to invest on a weekly basis—or even to continue watching past the first couple of weeks. I was among those who brought up concerns about whether TGL’s novelty factor would wear off as the season progressed.

I wouldn’t say all of those concerns have been alleviated now that we are less than one month from the TGL season coming to a close. I’m still skeptical on several fronts.

However, the numbers (and the vibes) suggest TGL is right about where it wants to be with potential for growth in the future.

Love it or hate it, TGL is winning.

TGL is outpacing expectations

A lot of money went into this from the PGA Tour, ESPN, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and a boatload of billionaire investors who know the sports business.

It’s given TGL a high floor to this point.

The ratings have been solid but unspectacular. Coming into Presidents Day weekend, TGL was averaging 810,000 viewers for five matches on ESPN—a 23-percent average audience gain compared to college basketball games in those same time slots from last year.

The three Presidents Day matches were in the mid-300,000 range, above expectations given the unfavorable time slots on a holiday afternoon. Other ESPN broadcasts in the same windows last year did slightly worse.

A similar situation happened this week as TGL’s ratings were south of 300,000. Those numbers were still an improvement from last year at the same time for ESPN, when a studio show and a women’s basketball game drew less than half that amount of viewers.

TGL is about in line with what the UFL (a startup football league) averaged in its first season in 2024 and it has easily surpassed other sport startups like the new women’s basketball 3-on-3 league.

According to insider Abe Madkouri of Sports Business Journal, ESPN is optimistic with the start despite the ratings cooling off as the season progresses.

“They are trying a new approach, and new elements, which the industry respects,” Madkouri wrote. “There is great appreciation of TGL’s investors, an uber-wealthy group that knows sports and business. There is confidence in the leadership of co-founder and CEO Mike McCarley and appreciation for the way leadership has brainstormed the concept. Sources close to ESPN told me it would have been happy averaging about 500,000 viewers in Year 1.”

The median age of viewer (51) is very young, relatively speaking. And its greatest success might be on social media where engagement is well above golf’s norms. It’s reported that more than 70 percent of that engagement has been positive.

TGL looked to be fading after Week Five but it regained some credibility and momentum from three close matches on Presidents Day and two more close matches back-to-back this Monday. That included a dramatic OT victory by Los Angeles which overcame a late 4-0 deficit to defeat New York.

The “hammer rule” change—both teams now get three hammers each match—has added some volatility and competitiveness which is naturally more entertaining.

Those who work in the golf entertainment industry have been showing a lot of support and the stakeholders with ownership in the product are willing to be patient as the league finds its footing.

Throughout this season, TGL has already made changes to the viewing experience including how the in-arena audience has been more engaged. There has been a noticeable uptick in fan chanting and overall energy.

The broadcast is also experimenting with more “hot mic” segments and ways to engage players which is interesting in the moment and able to be packaged for social later. The second hour of the broadcast is not dragging as much—close matches and trying to qualify for the playoffs adds some pretend urgency to the mix.

Progress has been rocky at times—if matches aren’t close, it’s not a particularly fun watch—but I think it’s additive for golf to have a league like this that is at least trying something to innovate.

Am I captivated? I wouldn’t go that far. But at the very least, I’m happy to have it as background noise while not much else is happening on a Monday or Tuesday night in the dead of winter.

And while it may be more coincidence than not, the Tour’s long-suffering TV ratings have actually seen a slight bounce-back in February. Maybe some TGL viewers have been willing to cross over?

What is next?

In the immediate future, TGL will have its first four-team playoff and hope to finish strong. It looks like it may have to do that without McIlroy or Woods given that both players could miss the playoffs entirely.

In the long-term future, TGL’s biggest growth opportunity is expanding its player roster and building more arenas.

Certain players are unable to compete because it can’t work for their schedule. Scottie Scheffler and Jordan Spieth, for example, live in Dallas and don’t have the desire to fly to south Florida the day after tournaments. They both are parents. The logistics don’t work.

Building an arena in Dallas and creating a new team there would open the door for those players to join.

“I’ve been asked by a couple players now to sub in,” Spieth said on “The Smylie Show” podcast. “Still seeing that as an issue for my scheduling purposes here. I’ve been there when Scottie has been asked and it’s the same sort of situation. Throw one of these venues in Dallas and we might have a better chance of joining. Maybe down the road.”

Expand that concept to other locations and TGL could have home-team environments and a larger share of the star players it needs to be more successful. Maybe even LIV players like Bryson DeChambeau could be involved in the future.

With how much money is being invested in this, I wouldn’t bet on TGL flopping. Adjustments need to be made but there is a path forward. And it’s already surpassed LIV in terms of viewership and popularity.

Maybe it won’t be the next big thing in golf, but it could still be additive to the pro game.

Top Photo Caption: Billy Horschel, Justin Thomas and Patrick Cantlay of Atlanta Drive celebrate a victory over Boston Common. (GETTY IMAGES/Megan Briggs)