The first match of the TGL Finals Series begins Monday night, and ESPN is sending one of its big guns down to Palm Beach Gardens, Florida to cover it.
Scott Van Pelt, who has hosted primetime TGL coverage from his Washington D.C. studio throughout the league’s inaugural season, will be on site in the SoFi Center for Monday and Tuesday’s TGL Finals Series between Atlanta Drive GC and New York Golf Club, according to Josh Carpenter of Sports Business Journal.
Game 1 of the best-of-three series is set for 9 p.m. ET Monday night on ESPN2. Then, Game 2 and Game 3 (if necessary) will be played Tuesday evening on ESPN.
Van Pelt will continue to host the late edition of SportsCenter, with the show emanating from the SoFi Center on Monday and Tuesday. He will also present the inaugural TGL champion with the SoFi Cup on Tuesday night.
TGL has exceeded expectations in its first year. The simulator golf league founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy has posted generally strong viewership for the network, typically beating out the year-ago programming comparisons during the windows it airs in.
Monday and Tuesday’s finals will be the league’s last test of the year. Game 1 will face stiff competition from the NCAA women’s tournament on ESPN, but Games 2 and 3 should have the night clear for themselves on the Worldwide Leader (aside from some NIT games).
It will be interesting to see whether TGL can breakthrough without its biggest draws, Woods and McIlroy, playing in the finals.
About Drew Lerner
Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.