Falcons owner Arthur Blank buys golf team in Woods, McIlroy-led league

Aug. 21 (UPI) -- Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United owner Arthur Blank added a professional golf team to his portfolio, buying into TGL -- the new Tiger Woods-, Rory McIlroy-led, tech-infused venture announced Monday.

Blank's AMB Sports and Entertainment secured rights for a TGL team to represent Atlanta. TGL's ownership group now includes owners from NFL, MLB, NHL, MLS, the Premier League, NASCAR and the NWSL.

"One of the missions of our golf business is to help grow the game and all of AMBSE is oriented toward representing Atlanta as best we can on and off the fields we compete on," Blank, the co-founder of Home Depot, said in a news release.

"We are thrilled to partner with TMRW Sports and be a founding owner in TGL."

Woods and McIlroy announced the new golf league in 2022 through their company, TMRW Sports. Blank is the third owner announced for the league, which will start play in January.

"I see this as an investment to grow the game, deliver an innovative product to avid fans while exposing golf to new, younger audiences, and another way for us to compete for championships for Atlanta," Blank said.

"We will put our best foot forward in effort to achieve all three goals and to help TGL achieve success in any way we can."

Fenway Sports Group, which owns the Boston Red Sox, Premier League soccer club Liverpool and the Pittsburgh Penguins, announced June 26 that it purchased a Boston TGL team.

On June 8, TGL announced the Los Angeles Golf Club as its first team. That club is owned by Alexis Ohanian, Serena Williams and Venus Williams. Six total teams will compete in TGL.

TGL events will be held in a purpose-built arena at the Palm Beach State College branch in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

A dozen PGA Tour players, including Woods, McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas, committed to compete in the league. Each of the six teams will feature three PGA Tour players, who compete in head-to-head and match play events.

TGL's 15 regular-season matches and playoffs will be televised through two-hour, prime time broadcasts.