The golf world is heating up, thanks to some NBA stars. Tiger Woods is going full steam ahead with his new golf league counting major NBA stars among his backers, with Stephen Curry leading the charge. The NBA star is an avid golfer who plays his secondary sport more than recreationally. The Chef is cooking up something big with a new announcement. He’s got his teammates enabling it too.
And like the troublemaker he is, Shaquille O’Neal has the potential to stir trouble for him. The multi-faceted entrepreneur also made a new stride into the greens. It remains to be seen which NBA legend is going to get the spotlight in a new space.
Stephen Curry is a team owner
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Rooted in the Bay Area as the star of the Golden State Warriors, Steph Curry is elevating the San Francisco sports scene in a major way. This passionate and competitive golfer has collaborated with two golf legends in their latest venture. His involvement is not passive either. He’s got the SF Bay its own golf franchise.
PGA superstars, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy collaborated with others under the banner, TMRW Sports, to form their new golf league, TGL. This league is in partnership with the PGA and giving Greg Norman’s LIV Golf stiff competition. Big names across multiple spheres have joined Woods and McIlroy’s TMRW to be part of this venture.
Curry is working with Avenue Capital Group to set up a golf team in TGL. His teammates, Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala are also investors in this to-be-launched franchise.
It remains to be seen who will be part of the Curry-Thompson-Iduodala franchise. 24 PGA Tour players are the first signees under TGL so far. Seven of them are in the top 10 players in the world.
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“Combining the business expertise of Avenue Capital Group with the championship mentality brought by these NBA superstars, this TGL team will generate a lot of energy in the Bay Area and around the world,” the TMRW statement said about the Warriors stars’ new venture.
Star athletes like Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant, Lewis Hamilton, Alex Morgan, Shohei Ohtani, Josh Allen, and Serena Williams are some of the celebrity investors in TGL. Popstar Justin Timberlake who also plays golf more than casually, is involved as well. Williams, the tennis legend herself, is leading the LA team.
The roster is getting bigger too. The Warriors trio’s TGL San Francisco joins the previously announced franchises, LA Golf ClubAtlanta Drive, TGL Boston, and TGL New York. Each team consists of four players each.
Curry’s latest business move is drawing well-deserved attention. He could be very involved in his team as he’s no slouch on the greens. At this point, there’s only one other NBA star who doubles as a savvy entrepreneur who has the potential to overshadow him.
Shaquille O’Neal steps on the greens
Shaq can command a music festival the way he did as the most dominant center in the NBA in his prime. But golf is Shaquille O’Neal’s weakness. He can play as a casual hobbyist but he’s not a mere spectator either. Shaq is also an investor in Tiger Woods’ TGL with the potential to take it up a notch.
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The Woods-McIlroy star power is not the only appeal for Titanic investors. TGL offers golf lovers something innovative. This indoor golf league is set to transform sports entertainment with its specialized structure within a two-hour time limit. With a season of 15 games, mic’ed up players, and simulator setups, even non-golf fans are drawn to it. Additional viewer experiences will drive up the excitement. The inaugural season is set to air in April 2024 alongside the NBA season with no other golf event to compete with.
It’s hard not to see why Shaq partnered in this edgy sports league though his stake in TMRW is not public yet. It also has the scope for him to expand as more than an investor. He’s been tinkling with the idea of becoming a team owner of some kind. He wants to bring Las Vegas its first NBA team with no co-owners. It depends if the NBA picks Las Vegas. Meanwhile, Big Diesel could follow his mentor, Magic Johnson, and become a team owner in a different sports league.
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Shaq could very well threaten the Warriors coalition leading the Bay Area team. He, however, has made no further moves in the golf space. Some would like to see him with fellow golf maniac Inside Guy, Charles Barkley commentating through the TGL season. Ahead of TGL’s inaugural season, Big Diesel could spring a surprise on fans.
What kind of role do you think would fit Shaq in TGL?