The words “Detroit Lions” and “successful franchises" weren’t used in the same sentence for the majority of the past 50 years. But what used to be a dormant team after decades of losing has become a perennial Super Bowl contender over the past three seasons.
There are several reasons why the Lions rose to prominence. Dan Campbell has gone from internet meme to one of the best coaches in the league and general manager Brad Holmes has given him the roster he’s needed him to succeed. But it could also be traced back to owner Sheila Ford Hamp’s decision to stick with the brain trust amid a 1-6 start that led them to an NFC Championship Game in 2023 and the NFC’s best record in 2024.
That decision has built some equity when it comes to Hamp’s decision-making and it has led her to another sports venture as the Lions prepare for another Super Bowl run in 2025.
Lions Owner Shiela Ford Investing in New Detroit TGL Franchise
TGL Golf announced that they are adding an expansion franchise on Thursday and The Detroit News’s Tony Paul reports that Hamp will be part of the ownership group as the team, dubbed “Motor City Golf Club” prepares to debut in the 2027 season.
TGL was founded in 2022 by 2025 Masters winner Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods and media executive Mike McCarley. The league played its inaugural season last winter with matches taking place at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens. It also uses a golf simulator with a live audience, creating a tournament-like atmosphere during the winter months.
The inaugural season featured six teams including The Atlanta Drive, Boston Common Golf, Jupiter Links, Los Angeles Golf Club, New York Golf Club and The Bay Golf Club. Atlanta won the inaugural TGL championship last season with Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, Billy Horschel and Lucas Glover on the roster.
The league also features top golfers including Collin Morikawa, Justin Rose and Rickie Fowler. TGL also has considered adding women to its competition and opening a playing venue on the West Coast in the future.
Backed by a multi-year television deal with ESPN, TGL continues to grow and it appears Hamp is the latest NFL owner to climb aboard. According to Sportico’s Jacob Feldman and Eben Novy-Williams, Denver Broncos owner Rob Walton will also have owner’s suite privileges at SoFi Center as part of the Motor City Golf Club ownership group while Washington Commanders co-owner David Blitzer, Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank and New York Mets owner Steve Cohen are already invested in teams.
Owners tied to the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens and Minnesota Vikings, the NHL’s Seattle Kraken and Toronto Maple Leafs and MLB’s Colorado Rockies have also been spotted at matches and Detroit beat out fellow expansion candidates Dallas and Chicago by paying over $70 million for a spot in the league.
It sounds like a sound investment for a group that has helped revive the Lions over the past few seasons and will have their eyes set on bigger things in the coming years.