Golf courses this autumn will become the setting for a new era of women's sport. TMRW Sports, backed by technological innovations and a partnership with the prestigious LPGA, has officially confirmed collaborations with two key American broadcasters. The new women's team golf league, named WTGL, has secured strong backing on the screens of giants ESPN and Scripps Sports/ION.
This strategic move ensures that the inaugural season of the new competition will not remain only within a small circle of golf enthusiasts but will reach a wide audience across the United States. The partnership is divided between paid television platforms and free-to-air broadcasting, guaranteeing the league maximum possible reach from its inception.
The new WTGL league combines top world golfers with an innovative team format in a technologically advanced environment.
Rights Split Between ESPN and ION
ESPN takes on the role of the main media partner. This station previously signed an agreement for the first two seasons of the men's equivalent league (TGL) and is now expanding its coverage to include the women's branch. Fans will find WTGL matches across its entire portfolio of channels, including the main station ABC, its parent ESPN, and specialized ESPN2. In addition to the matches themselves, viewers can look forward to accompanying programs and analyses.
Conversely, ION, which falls under the umbrella of The E.W. Scripps Company, will function as the national platform for free-to-air broadcasting. This move fits into ION's long-term strategy, which positions itself as the central home for women's professional sports in the USA.
The ION broadcast network strengthens its position as a leader in women's competition broadcasts and adds WTGL alongside these established brands:
- WNBA — the world's most prestigious women's basketball league.
- NWSL — elite American women's soccer league.
- PWHL — newly established professional women's hockey league.
- MLV — national volleyball league.
Who is Behind the Creation of WTGL
The WTGL project is not just a sports initiative but also a significant investment endeavor. The league's main capital partner is Trybe Ventures. A significant detail for fans and investors is the fact that this company was co-founded by legendary soccer striker Alex Morgan, whose name adds prestige and media attractiveness to the project.
Representatives of TMRW Sports emphasize that WTGL will not be a classic golf tournament. The goal is to offer fans a high-energy environment built on modern technologies, bringing players and their performances closer to viewers in unprecedented detail. In this way, the league aims to appeal to a younger generation of fans.
The partnership with ESPN and ION provides the WTGL league with an ideal national stage for its inaugural season launch in November 2026.
Road to the November Start
Preparations for the inaugural year are now culminating. According to Rufus Hack, President of Golf at TMRW Sports, the recently concluded television agreement is the final big piece of the puzzle before the season begins. The league's management expects the collaboration to effectively showcase the personalities and competitive spirit of the best LPGA players.
The first tee-off of the inaugural season is scheduled for this November. Although specific broadcast times and complete team rosters have not yet been announced, it is expected that thanks to massive support from Scripps Sports and ESPN, information about the new league will reach every American household. An open question remains how traditional golf viewers will react to the new format and whether the ambitious vision of technologically progressive sport will be fulfilled.