Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy have unveiled a formidable list of sporting greats to invest in their TMRW Sports venture – with Serena Williams, Steph Curry and Andy Murray among the stars to join forces in a venture seen as a controversial response that LIV Golf
TMRW Sports, a tech-focused company co-founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, announced Wednesday a star-studded investor group that includes tennis great Serena Williams and seven-time Formula One world champion that is Lewis Hamilton.
The team of investors also includes four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry, three-time tennis Grand Slam winner Andy Murray, Japanese two-way standout Shohei Ohtani of Major League Baseball and two-time women’s World Cup champion Alex Morgan.
F1 star Hamilton was announced as the first investor on Tuesday before the full list was released on Wednesday.
Tiger Woods And Rory McIlroy teamed up to launch TMRW Sports together earlier this year
TMRW Sports — pronounced ‘open sports’ — was launched in August with the aim of using technology to help create new pathways for the next generation to enjoy sports.
A day after its launch, TMRW Sports said Woods and McIlroy will headline a Monday night team golf competition starting in 2024 that will feature PGA Tour players and combine virtual technology and a tech-infused short- game complex in a custom-built venue.
The ‘tech-infused’ league is set to begin in 2024 and will take place in a custom-built stadium
‘Excited for a great group of investors, including @LewisHamilton, to join @TigerWoods and me on the @TMRWSports team!’ McIlroy said Tuesday on Twitter.
‘Excited to welcome a strong group of investors across sports and entertainment to @TMRWSports. And first to join me and @McIlroyRory in the team: F1 great @LewisHamilton,’ Woods also told the site.
The competition will serve as a supplement to the PGA Tour schedule and a competitor to the Saudi-backed LIV Golf, which has recruited many high-profile golfers to join the high-paying team format and throw the PGA.
And while TMRW’s first announced competition was in golf, the organization has proposed expanding it beyond the links and has already attracted a who’s who of investors from other sports.
From the world of basketball, Curry, Chris Paul and Jayson Tatum have been involved, while F1 stars Hamilton and Lando Norris have also signed up.
‘Super excited to join the team at @TMRWSports !! It’s an honor to help bring golf to more people. Thanks for the warm welcome @TigerWoods and @McIlroyRory. Let’s go,’ Hamilton tweeted.
Buffalo Bills Josh Allen and future hockey Hall of Famer Sidney Crosby are also committed to the project.
Serena Williams and Andy Murray represent the tennis world as investors in TMRW
F1 star Lewis Hamilton was announced as an investor in the venture on Tuesday
Soccer is also well represented among the company’s investors, as Gareth Bale and Liverpool owners John Henry and Tom Werner of Fenway Sports Group are part of the project.
‘From the outset, our plan has been to partner with the best in class in every way imaginable and Tiger, Rory and I appreciate the support of this unparalleled team of investors, advisors and ambassadors,’ TMRW Sports co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Mike McCarley said in a news release.
The golf competition led by McIlroy and Woods will be a team golf event, with 18 players divided into six three-man teams.
The tournament hopes to provide fans with an immersive experience during the two-hour match
The various teams face each other in a league format for 15 Monday nights throughout the season, each playing five matches and only one match per week.
The new custom-built venue will feature a virtual course, with a large cinema-sized screen for players to play their drives and approach shots, with matches lasting just two hours.
After the regular season, there will be semi-finals and then a final where the winning team will be crowned.
