See Inside Augusta After Dark—The Masters' Boldest Break From Tradition Yet

AUGUSTA, GA.—The 2025 Masters Tournament took place April 7-13 at Augusta National Golf Club, ending in Rory McIlroy earning his first green jacket following a nail-biting playoff. It was his 17th time attending the Masters. Off the putting green, there was yet another first in the championship's 91-year history: the debut of “Augusta After Dark.” 

Born out of a partnership between DraftKings and Sports Illustrated (SI), Augusta After Dark took place on April 9 and invited 500 of DraftKings’ Dynasty Rewards members and select VIPs to “an exquisite private estate within a gated community [in Augusta, Ga.],” said Emily Powers, the vice president of business operations and production at SI owner Authentic Brands Group. A golf simulator courtesy of Comcast Business brought a bit of healthy competition to Augusta After Dark.Photo: Courtesy Acre Media for Authentic/SI

Event partner DraftKings was responsible for this claw machine—aka "The Augusta Grab"—which was stocked with essentials for a day out on the putting green.Photo: Courtesy Acre Media for Authentic/SIUpon entering Augusta After Dark, event sponsor Homes.com rolled out the red carpet for a photo op before guests were ushered through the estate’s doors to discover what Powers described as “a beautifully curated environment that blended old-school golf prestige with modern luxury.” In a nostalgic yet elevated touch, for instance, SI put its vintage magazine covers featuring golf legends on display (including one donning Tiger Woods from 2016 and another of Bubba Watson from 2012). 

The rest of the environment "unfolded like a perfect editorial spread,” Powers said, pointing to a Midnight Cowboy bar shaking up espresso martinis with guests’ choice of vodka or tequila—and another bar serving “a steady flow of Corona Premiers." Other partners like MINI USA showed up to Augusta After Dark with a Mini Cooper photo moment, and Comcast Business very memorably brought a golf simulator. “Swinging a club just minutes away from the real tournament felt both surreal and super engaging,” Powers said. 

Elsewhere, a Dynasty Rewards claw machine courtesy of event partner DraftKings—dubbed “The Augusta Grab”—was stocked with golf essentials. In a rare solo performance, Dave Matthews capped off Augusta After Dark with a 60-minute acoustic set full of iconic tracks like “Crash Into Me” and “Satellite."Photo: Courtesy Acre Media for Authentic/SI

Sports Illustrated's 2016 cover of Tiger Woods was on display—alongside other golf-centric SI magazine covers throughout the years.Photo: Courtesy Acre Media for Authentic/SIAnd in one of Powers’ personal favorite touchpoints, Authentic team members in attendance as well as on-site staffers were decked out from head to toe in “golf chic” outfits consisting of Authentic’s own portfolio of brands, including Reebok, Nautica, IZOD, and Lucky Brand.

“The looks were perfectly tailored for the moment and felt like a natural fit for the aesthetic of a luxury estate party," Powers explained. “It was a subtle but powerful way to reflect the taste level of the evening. It was polished, effortless, and cool.” 

Perhaps the most notable moment of the evening was an intimate acoustic performance from Dave Matthews. In a rare solo performance, Matthews’ 60-minute set was full of iconic tracks like “Crash Into Me” and “Satellite”—which went down in front of a star-studded crowd including sports stars Ken Griffey Jr., Nomar Garciaparra, and J.R. Smith, plus actor Miles Teller and TV personalities Nikki and Brie Bella. MINI brought a Mini Cooper photo op to the event.Photo: Courtesy Acre Media for Authentic/SIA Midnight Cowboy bar was serving espresso martinis with guests’ choice of vodka or tequila.Photo: Courtesy Acre Media for Authentic/SI

Augusta After Dark was debatably DraftKings and SI’s most exclusive event to date. Even more impressively, it took place during the Masters, which is notorious for its strict rules designed to preserve decades-old traditions. For example, it's widely known that there are unyielding guidelines regarding dress code and bag policy at the Masters; plus, no outside food is allowed (food inside is priced as it was in the early 2000s), and the use of cellphones and cameras is prohibited. Augusta After Dark was presented by Homes.com, which rolled out the red (or should we say orange?) carpet for 500 invited guests to snap a photo before heading into the exclusive estate that served as the evening's venue.Photo: Courtesy Acre Media for Authentic/SI

Thus, “it felt like the right moment to debut something fresh and premium during one of the most tradition-rich weeks in sports,” Powers said of Augusta After Dark. After all, SI is deeply embedded in sports and culture, recently seeing even more success with official partnerships and parties surrounding tentpole events like NBA All-Star Weekend. Adding Augusta After Dark to SI's roster means the sports media giant is now producing more than 50 events annually, according to Powers.  

"We wanted to raise the bar again,” Powers said of foraying into golf’s most exclusive tournament. “Augusta After Dark wasn’t just a party; it was a statement. It showed how brands like SI and DraftKings can honor tradition while still pushing boundaries.” Emily Powers, the vice president of business operations and production at SI owner Authentic Brands Group, said of Comcast Business' golf simulator: “Swinging a club just minutes away from the real tournament felt both surreal and super engaging."Photo: Courtesy Acre Media for Authentic/SI