USGA Nearing Corporate Partnership Deal With RBS For Marketing

The USGA is in "the final stages of signing" RBS to a four-year deal worth about $3M annually, becoming the organization's third corporate partner, according to Jon Show of SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. The USGA exec committee is expected to approve the deal during its annual meeting this weekend in Houston. RBS would join American Express and Lexus as USGA corporate partners. RBS plans to "center the majority of its efforts around a specific platform," specifically a charitable platform still being finalized with the USGA. The deal is "strictly a marketing deal and does not include management of the USGA's accounts." Once the agreement is signed, the bank "will have ties to three of golf's four majors, including top-level sponsorship status with the R&A and the PGA of America." RBS also has endorsements with Jack Nicklaus, PGA Tour golfer Luke Donald and LPGA golfer Paula Creamer. Meanwhile, the USGA is "in the preliminary stage" of talks with IBM to fill its technology category (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 2/4 issue).