Leagues like TGL have gained popularity among more diverse demographics interested in golf in more nontraditional golf settings. According to research from TGL’s parent company, TMRW Sports, though women (28%) and people of color (25%) remain underrepresented on U.S. golf courses, women accounted for 43% of all golfers at “off-course” facilities, while Black, Hispanic, and Asian golfers represented 45%.
Swinging for accuracy
Although the show is fictional, it features real-life golf elements, including appearances by golfers such as Collin Morikawa, Keegan Bradley, Max Homa, and Wyndham Clark; broadcasters Jim Nantz and Trevor Immelman; and golf enthusiast Dan Rapaport.
Keller said they even hired golf consultants to teach Wilson and the other actors how to golf, making the show’s atmosphere as accurate as possible.
“It was very important for us to get golf right,” Keller said. “We wanted golf enthusiasts and fanatics to watch our show and feel that we took the time to render that sport authentically. There was never a time when a professional golfer was not involved in this show.”
Guymon Casady, founding partner of Entertainment360 and executive producer of Stick, said one of the things he’s especially proud of is that even though the show is golf-centric, the point of view is still from the perspective of outsiders.
“It’s everyman, so they’re not all insiders or part of the country club establishment,” Casady said. “It speaks to the democratization of the sport and how accessible the sport has become for a broader group of people.”
What this means for advertisers
Like many sports, golf attracts numerous brands and sponsorships. The PGA Tournament has worked with brands like Anheuser-Busch, Nike, Rolex, Callaway, and TaylorMade, while TGL has secured partnerships with Best Buy, Genesis, MasterCard, FedEx, Monster, Samsung, KPMG, and Levelwear.
On the show, brands like DraftKings, Five9, Burns & Wilcox, ADP, and more show up on characters’ golf shirts, hats, and equipment.
Ben Silverman, co-CEO and chairman of production company Propagate, who also is an executive producer of Stick, said he’s confident advertisers will want to become more involved with the show as it goes on—especially since the series is for a wider audience that encompasses sports and non-sports fans, adults, and families alike.
“In the golf world, there are so many advertisers who are going to watch this show and raise their hand to try and figure out how they can be involved in the next season because it’s four quadrant,” Silverman said. “It’s warm, it’s emotional—it’s for all of us to watch together with any of our peers.”