While selling limited tickets for $160 to watch a new golf league in Palm Beach Gardens, the league is also paying people to fill seats.
A spokesperson for TGL, Tomorrow’s Golf League, said the league is looking for “seat fillers” who will be compensated with payments and free gear.
According to one website for soliciting actors, the practice is used for awards shows or television specials, so the audience doesn’t see any empty seats.
“We have a small, intimate venue and like an awards show we use seat fillers to, you know, fill seats,” Adam Freifeld, a broadcast communications spokesperson for the league, said in a text message to WPTV.
Palm Beach Gardens
PGA pros to face off in Palm Beach Gardens in this unique golf league
He also said the seat fillers will be used for three days of rehearsal matches for broadcast testing. It also wants “actors” in the stands to record an opening for the matches on Monday evening.
The league, created by a company called TMRW Sports, along with Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, is starting its inaugural season on Monday. It features six teams of PGA Tour golfers with owners worth billions, including the co-founder of Home Depot, Arthur Blank; the co-founder of Reddit, Alexis Ohanian; and hedge fund manager Steven Cohen.
Players include various PGA Tour players including well-established popular golfers like Rickie Fowler, Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas. The league also features younger stars like Tom Kim, Sahith Theegala and Ludvig Åberg.
McIlroy and Woods, arguably the most popular players on tour, are also playing in the league. Both also partially own their respective teams as well.
All of the games for the league are hosted at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens. The arena includes a 64-foot x 53-foot golf simulator where players hit shots from areas with real grass, fairway, rough and sand for tee and approach shots.
Once a player is within 50 yards, they transition to the green. According to TGL, the green is 22,475-square-feet with a 41-yard-wide turntable. This allows the simulator to morph its topography and change approach angles.
WPTV reached out to the league after a third party, a company based in Orlando called Penguin Entertainment, ran ads looking for “enthusiastic golf spectators” for a live sporting event in Palm Beach Gardens.
People who want to apply to become a seat filler can email events@tmrwsportsgroup.com.
