TGL kicked off as the innovative idea that would transform the sport. However, after garnering a season-high 1.05 million viewers in its first iteration, the $500 million project dropped to one of its lowest numbers this season.

Josh Carpenter of Sports Business Journal reported that Monday night’s Boston Common versus The Bay matchup on ESPN2 delivered TGL’s lowest-rated broadcast of Season 2: 333,000 average viewers, peaking at 427,000, for a 7-9 PM window that should have commanded attention.

Before this, Season 2 saw another dip in numbers in Week 2 when only 354,000 viewers joined the ESPN2 coverage. Moreover, game 4 already documented a 71,000 viewer decline. The season opened with 646,000 on ABC. Six weeks later, the audience has nearly halved.

The $500 million league has a trajectory problem.

Carpenter offered context worth noting. The 333,000 figure sits 10% above ESPN2‘s 2025 season average of 303,000, meaning the number isn’t catastrophic for the channel. But that makes a thin defense when you’ve built a league on the premise that Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy could turn indoor golf into a must-watch program.

The Tiger Woods variable remains the only reliable factor at this point.

Week 4, with Woods’ Jupiter Links in action, drew 794,000 on ESPN. Week 5 held at 651,000. Strip him from the equation, shift to ESPN2, and the floor appears: 354,000 in Week 2, 333,000 in Week 6. The math is binary. Woods plays, numbers hold. Woods sits, they crater.

Season 1 told the same story.

Woods’ debut spiked viewership by 9% over the opener. When he sat out Week 3, ratings collapsed by 32%. The comparable Week 6 last year—also a Monday, also without Woods headlining—drew 347,000 on ESPN. Two seasons of data have reached verdict status: TGL without Tiger Woods is a fundamentally different product.

The numbers make the case. The fans, however, have already moved to sentencing.

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Fans argue Tiger Woods needs Bryson DeChambeau to save TGL

The comment sections didn’t wait for broadcast analysis. They delivered their own diagnosis. “Goes to show that with that difference, Pro Golf doesn’t have a single needle mover post-Tiger era,” one fan wrote. “Bryson is the exception as his YT content pulls in 1-2 million per episode. The 18-30 demo doesn’t watch live TV.”

The claim carries weight beyond casual observation. Bryson DeChambeau‘s YouTube channel has amassed 2.57 million subscribers and over 517 million total views across 245 videos. His recent daily view gains ranged between 300,000 and 700,000—figures that dwarf TGL’s ESPN2 primetime numbers.

The two-time U.S. Open champion has even expressed interest in the league, telling reporters at the International Series in India that TGL presents “an interesting opportunity” and that he’d participate if allowed.

Another fan framed the roster deficit bluntly: “For it to grow from where it sits now, they really need all the stars. No new eyes are going to stick around week after week, watching the A-/B-tier names in mostly lopsided runaway matches. Adding Scottie and Brooks, and hopefully next year, Bryson and Rahm are their only hope.”

While Scheffler has not spoken publicly about his stance on TGL, it is understandable why he won’t participate in the league. TGL’s 15 matches are played between January and March at SoFi Center in Palm Beach, Florida. Meanwhile, the world No. 1 lives in Texas with his family. He is already busy with his PGA Tour schedule, and juggling TGL in between could be too much.

The rest, meanwhile, were with LIV Golf when the season kicked off. Only Koepka, of the other three, has returned to the PGA Tour.

The criticism extends beyond star power to the format itself. “It’s unwatchable. I really tried,” one reply read while another called it “hard to watch.” Tradition has been a big card with the PGA Tour. While TGL is innovative, it is not the most acceptable format for many.

“Let’s make the right call here and incorporate the ladies and co-ed this thing into the future!” added one fan.

WTGL has already become a concept slated to launch in the 2026-27 winter. However, a format where the men and women golfers play together hasn’t been made. And it’s not just what a fan wishes. Nelly Korda also proposed a co-ed style of TGL.

However, it can be seen why everyone wants DeChambeau on TGL. The LIV Golfer reaches millions without a network deal. TGL, with ESPN and half a billion dollars behind it, struggles to crack 350,000 when its co-founder isn’t on screen. The irony needs no commentary. The question is whether anyone inside SoFi Center is paying attention.