PGTI in advanced stages to launch pro-only franchise league: Johl
'Yes, we are definitely going to start a league. We've got some very good offers, and within the next few weeks, we will sign a deal. It will be the PGTI League—strictly for professionals," Johl said.
Explaining the rationale behind the pro-only model, Johl said a franchise league must be built around elite competition.
'A league can't be for amateurs. IPL is for professional cricketers. Football leagues around the world don't get amateurs to play, they field professionals. People come to watch high-quality sport, and golf is no different," he said.
The proposed format may feature up to 10 franchises, each owning a roster of professional golfers in a team setup, with fixtures spread across multiple weeks.
'People want to come and watch high-class golf. My idea of a league is different from others—while some are doing it for amateurs, I want to do it for hardcore professionals," Johl asserted.
The league is expected to introduce a one-on-one match-play format to enhance spectator interest, borrowing from successful models in other sports.
'If I'm a franchisee owner, I've got four, five, or six players on my team, and they go head-to-head with another team—one-on-one match play," Johl said.
'Imagine Gaganjeet Bhullar playing Jeev Milkha Singh one-on-one—that's golf. People will come and watch that. People will say, 'I'm backing Jeev or 'I'm backing Gaganjeet'. That's the kind of excitement we want to create," he said. PTI ATK AT AT AT
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