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WTGL has landed its fifth franchise owner, and the name is a familiar one.
Fenway Sports Group (FSG), the global sports and entertainment powerhouse behind the Boston Red Sox, Liverpool FC and Boston Common Golf in TGL, has acquired Boston Common Golf's WTGL team, further strengthening its ties to TMRW Sports and the rapidly expanding team-golf landscape.
The move gives FSG its first ownership stake in a women's professional golf team. The company was among the original ownership groups in TGL and an early investor in TMRW Sports, the parent company of both TGL and WTGL. Boston Common Golf's TGL roster is led by Rory McIlroy, and also features Keegan Bradley, Adam Scott and Hideki Matsuyama.
FSG's connection to women's golf dates back to 2023, when Fenway Sports Management entered a partnership with the LPGA aimed at expanding the tour's sponsorship and marketing opportunities. The WTGL investment marks the next step in that relationship.
FSG was also instrumental in bringing a much-needed influx of cash to the PGA Tour when it was facing a challenge from LIV Golf.
"At FSG, we've always believed in investing early in ideas with the potential to grow and evolve the sports landscape," said Linda Henry, FSG partner and CEO of Boston Globe Media. "Our investment in TMRW Sports and partnership with the LPGA have only reinforced our confidence in the future of women's golf. WTGL is a natural next step, and we're proud to bring Boston Common Golf to the league and another world-class team to New England fans."
WTGL is set to debut this fall at SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, using a fast-paced team match-play format built around many of the LPGA Tour's biggest stars. Fourteen players have already been announced for the inaugural season, including six of the top 13 players in the world rankings. Collectively, the group owns 95 LPGA Tour victories, with additional roster announcements expected before the season begins.
The addition of FSG gives WTGL another experienced ownership group as it continues assembling its inaugural lineup of teams.
"Fenway Sports Group has been a TMRW Sports partner from the beginning and understands what it takes to build an enduring team brand in one of the world's most passionate sports markets," said Mike McCarley, founder and CEO of TMRW Sports. "Boston Common Golf brings an established identity, a passionate fan base and an ownership group with a record of growing iconic sports properties. Adding FSG and Boston Common Golf strengthens WTGL as we build a premier platform for women's team golf in partnership with the LPGA."
Charley Hull, Lydia Ko, Jeeno Thitikul, Lexi Thompson and Michelle Wie West are among the 14 LPGA stars committed to participate in WTGL's inaugural season.
But the biggest star in women's golf, world No. 1 Nelly Korda, is not slated to compete in WTGL. The three-time major champion criticized the fact that a separate indoor league was created for the women as opposed to having them compete alongside the men, calling it a "huge and unbelievable miss."
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Fenway Sports Group adds women's WTGL team to golf roster
Continue reading...
Fenway Sports Group (FSG), the global sports and entertainment powerhouse behind the Boston Red Sox, Liverpool FC and Boston Common Golf in TGL, has acquired Boston Common Golf's WTGL team, further strengthening its ties to TMRW Sports and the rapidly expanding team-golf landscape.
| Team | Market | Owner / Ownership Group |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta WTGL | Atlanta | Arthur M. Blank and AMB Sports & Entertainment |
| New York WTGL | New York | Steve Cohen and Cohen Private Ventures (CPV) |
| Motor City Golf Club | Detroit | Principals Michael Hamp, Peter Hamp and Kevin Kelleher |
| Los Angeles Golf Club | Los Angeles | Alexis Ohanian / Los Angeles Golf Club (with Serena and Venus Williams) |
| Boston Common Golf | Boston / New England | Fenway Sports Group (FSG) |
The move gives FSG its first ownership stake in a women's professional golf team. The company was among the original ownership groups in TGL and an early investor in TMRW Sports, the parent company of both TGL and WTGL. Boston Common Golf's TGL roster is led by Rory McIlroy, and also features Keegan Bradley, Adam Scott and Hideki Matsuyama.
FSG's connection to women's golf dates back to 2023, when Fenway Sports Management entered a partnership with the LPGA aimed at expanding the tour's sponsorship and marketing opportunities. The WTGL investment marks the next step in that relationship.
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FSG was also instrumental in bringing a much-needed influx of cash to the PGA Tour when it was facing a challenge from LIV Golf.
"At FSG, we've always believed in investing early in ideas with the potential to grow and evolve the sports landscape," said Linda Henry, FSG partner and CEO of Boston Globe Media. "Our investment in TMRW Sports and partnership with the LPGA have only reinforced our confidence in the future of women's golf. WTGL is a natural next step, and we're proud to bring Boston Common Golf to the league and another world-class team to New England fans."
WTGL is set to debut this fall at SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, using a fast-paced team match-play format built around many of the LPGA Tour's biggest stars. Fourteen players have already been announced for the inaugural season, including six of the top 13 players in the world rankings. Collectively, the group owns 95 LPGA Tour victories, with additional roster announcements expected before the season begins.
The addition of FSG gives WTGL another experienced ownership group as it continues assembling its inaugural lineup of teams.
"Fenway Sports Group has been a TMRW Sports partner from the beginning and understands what it takes to build an enduring team brand in one of the world's most passionate sports markets," said Mike McCarley, founder and CEO of TMRW Sports. "Boston Common Golf brings an established identity, a passionate fan base and an ownership group with a record of growing iconic sports properties. Adding FSG and Boston Common Golf strengthens WTGL as we build a premier platform for women's team golf in partnership with the LPGA."
Charley Hull, Lydia Ko, Jeeno Thitikul, Lexi Thompson and Michelle Wie West are among the 14 LPGA stars committed to participate in WTGL's inaugural season.
But the biggest star in women's golf, world No. 1 Nelly Korda, is not slated to compete in WTGL. The three-time major champion criticized the fact that a separate indoor league was created for the women as opposed to having them compete alongside the men, calling it a "huge and unbelievable miss."
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Fenway Sports Group adds women's WTGL team to golf roster
Continue reading...
