National Golf League Targets Texas Expansion, Ups Franchise Fees

By Jon Show, Staff Writer, SportsBusiness Journal

The three-year old National Golf League (NGL) is expanding for the third straight year and raising franchise fees to five times the original investment. A five-team division in Texas is targeted for '09 with individual team owners paying around $75,000, up from $15,000 per team when the league launched in Northern California in '05. Expansions into Southern California and Arizona pushed the average franchise fee to $30,000 and $60,000, respectively. The NGL is looking at Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas and Ft. Worth. The league features 27-hole team competitions that encourage player interaction and a party atmosphere for fans. Future expansion is expected in Florida and potentially the mid-Atlantic.

TV PLANS: NGL events have aired in local markets on Comcast SportsNet and Cox, and Commissioner Bob Aube said the league has met with Golf Channel on three occasions to discuss a television arrangement. The only offer extended by the network was a time buy. Aube is also considering a league naming rights partner but has not circulated any proposals. Basketball HOFer and current KNBR-AM radio host Rick Barry serves as an adviser for the NGL.