
The schedule says that golf’s biggest weekend in 2026 opened Thursday, April 9—but anyone who was there knows the week truly kicked off the night before, with the return of Sports Illustrated and DraftKings’ Augusta After Dark.
An exclusive, invite-only VIP experience, this year’s Augusta After Dark, produced by Authentic Live, a division of Authentic Brands Group, and built on its 2025 debut, once again hosted by DraftKings and Sports Illustrated, with Venmo and Velocity Black as presenting sponsors. Familiar faces from sports and entertainment buzzed around the venue—a private five-acre estate—until the night’s headliner took the stage. The evening reached its peak as guests packed into an on-site luxurious tent for an intimate, one-of-a-kind set from rock ‘n’ roll legend Dave Grohl.