TGL's title sponsor opens up about funding the simulator league – “We looked at all the different PGA events”

Before zeroing in on starting the simulator league, SoFi Technologies Inc. looked at different PGA events for funding, as money wasn’t a problem for the company, as per SoFi Technologies’ boss, Anthony Noto. Before gaining a foothold in golf, the company was looking for the right opportunity, and that’s when the idea of TGL took shape.

Noto clarified that his company was looking for sponsorship at various PGA events, as the thought was different. To elaborate on this point, he said:

“We looked at all the different [PGA] Tour events, and the majors have audience sizes that are really significant, but those are locked up by different financial services companies. So that wasn't really an option. There weren't a lot of other tournaments that were an option. And so we were looking for something that will allow us, beyond [sponsoring] players, to get involved.”

Noto agreed to the idea, once big names in golf joined the TGL, knowing they would be playing before a prime-time audience on TV. Out of many ideas shared with him by the CA agency that SoFi hired, one of them was from a company called TMRW Sports, which came up with the idea for an indoor simulator-driven team golf league.

Top golfers like Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, along with Golf Channel’s executive Mike McCarley, became the founders and the PGA Tour became the co-sponsor.

In return, SoFi secured the naming rights to the specially designed stadium in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, for TGL and the name of the trophy—SoFi Cup.

Not all big PGA Tour players are part of TGL this year

TGL has two of the biggest names, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, as its founders, but it doesn’t have all the top PGA Tour players participating. It does include big names like Justin Thomas and Billy Horschel (Atlanta Drive GC), Hideki Matsuyama and Adam Scott (Boston Common Golf), Tom Kim and Max Homa (Jupiter Links Golf Club), Tommy Fleetwood and Collin Morikawa (Los Angeles Golf Club), Rickie Fowler and Matt Fitzpatrick (New York Golf Club), and Wyndham Clark and Ludvig Åberg (The Bay Golf), but there are still some notable absentees.

One of the biggest names missing from TGL’s player list is World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. Other big tour regulars not participating in TGL’s opening season include Jordan Spieth, Viktor Hovland, Robert MacIntyre, and Jason Day.

However, according to SoFi’s CEO, Noto, TGL is enjoying strong ratings on ESPN. He also applauded the players’ enthusiasm. He mentioned that there will be new tweaks every week in the tournament to keep the audience engaged, and so far, the response has exceeded expectations.