8 MVPs, 1 pop star… Tiger Woods’ latest venture has a stacked roster of A-list investors. In August, Woods and fellow pro golfer Rory McIlroy launched TMRW Sports, a biz aimed at techifying sports entertainment. Yesterday we learned that Steph Curry, Serena Williams, F1 champ Lewis Hamilton, and Justin Timberlake are among TMRW’s newest backers. One of TMRW's first ventures is a new golf league — and it’s teeing up big buzz.
- Topgolf for the pros: Starting in 2024, six teams of three PGA players will compete in 18-hole matches at a custom tech-infused arena (think: a stadium-size golf simulator).
- FYI: Last year golf-related sales boomed thanks to the sport’s socially distant popularity, with brands like Callaway and Titleist notching record earnings.
Not your dad’s golf channel… Golf is gaining entertainment value as big players drive innovation. TMRW’s launch comes as the new Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour lures PGA players and fans with bigger prizes, looser schedules, and flashy festival-style tournaments. Meanwhile, Callaway-owned Topgolf's party-style atmosphere and accessible simulator tech have lured Zillennials (over half of its visitors have never played golf before).
Big players can change the game… because often they are the game. Tiger and his celeb-vestors want to use features like real-time stats and indoor arenas to attract younger fans and families to the old sport. Down the road, TMRW wants to expand into sports beyond golf. Meanwhile, soccer superstar Lionel Messi recently launched his own firm to invest in sports, media, and tech.