If Tiger Woods‘s vision for TGL’s season 2 was filled with a modern and accessible prime-time watch, an improvement from last year, then he couldn’t have been more wrong. Hardly a week since its start, TGL has once again come under backlash, the root cause being the same—ESPN. Earlier called out for a blunder in scheduling announcements, the network now finds itself tangled in financial discrepancies.

“Have gotten some questions about TGL not being on ESPN+ anymore. It’s on ESPN’s new DTC app that launched in August. Won’t be on + going forward,” Carpenter shared in response to a query he’s been receiving lately, as fans couldn’t find TGL on the regular ESPN+.

As it turns out, ESPN has changed the entire algorithm in the hope of cashing in more from the fans. TGL will now exclusively be live on ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer (DTC) app. If you want to watch your favorite golfers, you’ll have to download the app, subscribe to its premium streaming service, ESPN Unlimited, and then enjoy the event. Naturally, you will be asked to pay (way) more.

This new DTC app was launched in August 2025 and is split into two main tiers. ESPN Select is essentially the old ESPN+, which asks users to pay $12.99/month. ESPN Unlimited, the bearer of TGL, meanwhile, would require a subscription cost of $29.99/month. It does include other main ESPN TV channels, ESPN 2, and more. But, for someone just interested in watching the TGL, it’s a massive jump.

Cutting through this is also ESPN’s business deal.

According to reports from CNBC, ESPN is paying less than $10 M annually for TGL’s broadcasting rights. This is a shockingly low figure compared to other golf broadcasts. For instance, the PGA Tour, also carried by ESPN, has a $75 M annual deal under its 2020 arrangement. Its previous deal with MLB was roughly $550 M, and WWE’s new agreement is reportedly set at $325 M per year.

In that light, TGL is receiving one-seventh to one-fifteenth of what ESPN pays to the PGA Tour. Yet, the league is placed on premium slots like ESPN Unlimited. Now, some might argue that golf’s viewership differs massively from other sports. While that is true, TGL is not some scrappy startup. Started by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, this league was valued roughly at $500 M during its Series A funding round.

“Is ESPN still paying less than $10 million for airing rights for TGL? Essentially giving TGL free airtime?” wondered one

These optics are hard to ignore; that’s why fans’ anger has spilled all over the internet.

Why ESPN’s TGL Decision Has Fans Canceling Subscriptions

“ESPN continuously screws over its subscribers,” wrote one fan angrily.

Viewers who have been following the network for the past several years were quick to notice the gradual changes. ESPN has increased its price, but the quality of the product it promises to deliver has come significantly lower.

“It’s gone from $60 to $130 since 2022, and they show less and less….I am prepared to sail the high seas next year,” a fan commented under Josh Carpenter’s post. “Already canceled,” said another.

In 2021, subscribing to ESPN+ annually would have cost you $70. By next year, it would rise to $100. And as of late 2025, the gross total comes roughly to $150. This figure excludes any discount if ESPN offers one.

For fans who subscribe through Disney bundles, the math looks even uglier. In 2022, the price was placed at approximately $160-$180/month, with ad-support status. All this while, ESPN shut down its ESPN3, which was operating for more than a decade. All of its ‘niche’ content, like mid-week college softball, volleyball, etc., was transferred to the network’s paid services. With an already low television audience, it’s highly unlikely that viewers of such sports would pay extra to watch their games.

“gRoW tHe GaMe they said. Idiots,” said another.

TGL’s main aim was to grow golf at a time when leagues like LIV Golf and others posed an unannounced threat. Yet, ESPN seems to have faltered from that path and now appears to be monetizing the growth through charging what many feel is wrong. Locking that product behind a $30-a-month paywall undercuts such ambitions. How can a game grow if only a few people can watch it?