New LPGA Sponsor, Same as the Old LPGA Sponsor

by Ryan Ballengee on Nov 20, 2008 11:09 AM EST Comment 15 comments

Stanford Financial sponsored the Stanford International Pro-Am in Miami this season on the LPGA Tour. In the new 2009 schedule, Stanford has shelved the International Pro-Am in favor of being the title sponsor of the new Tour Championship in their headquarters city of Houston. The limited field will be the same, and so will the purse of $2 million. The only differences are when and where.

But, the LPGA Tour put out a press brief yesterday entitled "Stanford Financial Group Becomes New Title Sponsor." If you thought yesterday was a whole lot of spin - admittedly, it was, but Biv deserves some credit here - then this tops the cake.

Stanford Financial Group, already a prominent sponsor in professional golf, will further expand their presence in the sport as it was announced today that the company will become the new title sponsor of the LPGA's Tour Championship.

Nothing changed!

Of course, I'm not in the public relations business, so maybe this was a condition of becoming a sponsor of the event that will replace the ADT Championship next season. Still, couldn't it have been written differently?

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Stanford

May seem the same – but if you think about it, the LPGA was losing ADT and the season-ender. Stanford takes a higher position by taking on title of the Championship. The Pro-Am event in Miami goes away (or maybe not) but it is not full-field – more like Hope with 3-day Pro-Am and Sunday pro-only title..so even if it does not return, it does not affect the Tour that much.

I would think given the economic state of the world that moving an already committed golf sponsor to the Super Bowl, if you will is better than worrying about an exhibition game…

by TheGoogler on Nov 20, 2008 11:56 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I agree that it's an upgrade

for Stanford on the schedule. No doubt about that.

I was saying that the field size will basically be the same for the TC as opposed to the Pro-Am, if what we have heard is true (around 100 players).

Still, why not present it/spin it as Stanford is so happy with the value of the LPGA Tour that they want to become an even higher profile part of it?

by Ryan Ballengee on Nov 20, 2008 12:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

No doubt

If you look at a comment that was made by Allen Stanford on The Golf Channel during the Stanford St. Jude Ch. in Memphis, he said that " They always looked to invest in undervalued properties and he felt the LPGA was one of those"

def. a better angle

by TheGoogler on Nov 20, 2008 12:04 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Ok, we're on the same page

by Ryan Ballengee on Nov 20, 2008 12:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I must be missing something...

…Stanford had a prominent spot in professional golf before they got involved in that cluster@%&# of a pro-am. As you mentioned, they were involved in Memphis with the PGA Tour’s St Jude Classic. They sponsor several players on all four major American tours. And they have been involved with the “Eagles” charity.

Getting away from the pro-am and taking on the title sponsorship of the Tour Championship IS a step up on the LPGA Tour. It’s not spin – it’s just stating a fact. The Tour Championship is much more prestigious than a one year mucked tournament.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Nov 20, 2008 3:01 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

BUT

they are not a NEW title sponsor, which the press release implies. They’re an existing sponsor that’s taking a step up in prominence (which, I think, is a bigger deal than being a new sponsor). It wasn’t portrayed as such in the press release.

by Ryan Ballengee on Nov 20, 2008 3:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

it says...

…“the new title sponsor of the Tour Championship”. It doesn’t say that they are a new title sponsor period.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Nov 20, 2008 3:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The title is "new title sponsor"

and mentions nothing of their previous sponsorship.

by Ryan Ballengee on Nov 20, 2008 3:33 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

ok mr media... :-)

you’re not allowed to chop sentences in half like that. That’s called a mis-quote. Stanford is he new title sponsor of the Tour Championship. It’s not necessary to mention what they used to sponsor, especially since that thing they called a pro-am is history.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Nov 20, 2008 3:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The title of the article says "New Title Sponsor"

I swear that I’m not chopping anything up or misquoting. It’s in the title. :)

And from a PR POV, it’s critical to mention that this is a continuing relationship. Just like in philanthropic PR, it is almost always better to have a repeat than a new donor.

by Ryan Ballengee on Nov 20, 2008 3:56 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

forget the headline

writers don’t come up with headlines – read just the quote you posted – it says “new title sponsor of the LPGA’s Tour Championship”.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Nov 20, 2008 4:02 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

But to say nothing of the previous sponsorship

is kind of ridiculous.

by Ryan Ballengee on Nov 20, 2008 4:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

why ?

what doesn’t exist anymore isn’t important in something like this. why dredge up bad memories of a bad tournament ? best to just look forward in a case like this.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Nov 20, 2008 4:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Perhaps that was their angle

There were a decent number of complaints about the tournament. I guess, to me, keeping a sponsor is a big headline for the LPGA Tour. They put out a release about Michelob staying on.

by Ryan Ballengee on Nov 20, 2008 5:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs