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Five official updates as Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s $32m NFL deal evolves
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- Five official updates as Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s $32m NFL deal evolves
Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images
Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy have made no secret of their desire to reshape sports from the inside out.
The pair founded TMRW Sports in 2022 alongside media executive Mike McCarley, with a stated mission to build leagues for a new generation of fans.
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Golf, obviously, was the natural starting point.
One of TMRW's first businesses, TGL – a tech-driven, primetime golf league run in partnership with the PGA Tour – has reached 152 countries and territories and drawn considerable media attention. A women's equivalent, WTGL, is being readied for a winter 2026 launch in partnership with the LPGA.
But with investors valuing the company at about $500m, Woods and McIlroy were always going to reach beyond their own sport.
In March, the NFL announced it was partnering with TMRW Sports to develop and operate a professional flag football league for both women and men. Reportedly, TMRW beat a dozen or so other investment groups who had bid to partner with the NFL.
Photo by Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images
The financial backing behind the new league is substantial. Through 32 Equity – the NFL's collective investment arm – all 32 teams have authorised an initial investment of up to $32 million. Some of the world's biggest private equity companies are on board too, as are sports superstars turned investors like Tom Brady and Serena Williams.
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TMRW Sports is now building out its staff for the project. In recent weeks, the company has started the process of recruiting for at least five senior positions at its Winter Park, Florida base:
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VP of Technology
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VP of Marketing
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VP of Business Development
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Director of Game Operations
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Director of Player Personnel
On the business side, the VP of Marketing will build the league's profile and bring in fans, the VP of Business Development will go after the big brand sponsorships, and a VP of Technology will be responsible for the digital and broadcast infrastructure that holds everything together.
Closer to the field, the Director of Player Personnel will scout and sign athletes, while a Director of Game Operations will oversee how the competition actually runs week to week.
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