Dubai, United Arab Emirates: A pre-cursor to the Emirates Amateur Golf League (EAGL), conceptualised as the world’s first golf league comprising franchise-owned teams, will be broadcast ‘live’ this weekend.

Sanctioned by the Emirates Golf Federation, organisers say the EAGL will add a new dimension to amateur golf and contribute to the expansion of the game.

To be contested by eight franchise-owned teams in a round robin league under various match play formats, the inaugural league season is due to run from November, 2021 to January, 2022.

There will be seven rounds of league matches, each team playing against the other teams once. The league will climax with two semi-finals and a final.

Among the venues are The Els Club Dubai, a Facility Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation, and the Abu Dhabi trio of Yas Links, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club and Abu Dhabi Golf Club, all managed by Troon, an Executive Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.

As part of the EAGL concept, a nine-hole tournament titled ‘EAGL mini-series’ will see eight franchise teams of four players each compete on the Fire Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates on Sunday (June 20). The event will be broadcast live on Dubai TV and via social media channels.

The EAGL is the brainchild of Sudesh Aggarwal, a passionate amateur golfer and Chairman of Dubai-based Giant Group of Companies.

Aggarwal said: “Leagues are not a new concept. They happen in many sports like football, cricket and basketball. Most of these leagues create excitement and entertainment, but nothing like that exists in golf, for professionals, or amateurs.

“What exists in golf is team events like the Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup and World Amateur Team Championship. They mostly pitch one team against another and happen every two years. In view of this, a thought took seed in my mind in 2017 to do something similar in golf. It finally germinated in October last year, primarily due to the Covid-19 situation.

“EAGL has been conceptualised as the world’s first franchise-based golf league to fulfil the aspirations of amateur golfers and provide cost-effective and much higher valuation to the corporates. For the Team Owners, it shall be an investment with returns in cash and kind, apart from that immense feeling of pride of owning a sports team.”

The EAGL is being managed by Giant Entertainment & Events DMCC, a group event management company.

Sunday’s EAGL mini-series will be broadcast live from 15.15 UAE time (GMT 11.15) to 19.00 UAE time (GMT 15.00). It can be viewed via the following platforms:

EAGL Instagram – @eagl.ae

EAGL Facebook – eagluae

EAGL Website – www.eagl.ae

EAGL You Tube Channel – (https://www.youtube.com/c/EAGLUAE)