The WTA New Haven Open has a "new lead sponsor and a new name," as Hartford-based United Technologies has "agreed to a two-year commitment to the tournament that will be called the Connecticut Open presented by United Technologies," according to Lori Riley of the HARTFORD COURANT. Tournament Dir Anne Worcester said that the state "helped bring UTC -- which has sponsored other sports events such as the Hartford Marathon and Special Olympics -- and tournament officials together in December." The event has "had five 'cornerstone' sponsors -- Aetna, First Niagara, Yale, Yale New Haven Health and American Express -- but it hasn't had a title sponsor" since Pilot Pen left in '10. Those five sponsors have "all been renewed for various lengths of time and will be back" (HARTFORD COURANT, 6/11). In New Haven, Chip Malafronte writes in the "wake of the New Haven Open’s near-death experience last fall, the tournament, rescued from relocation at the 11th hour by the state of Connecticut, finds itself on solid financial ground." Though terms of the contract with UTC were not disclosed, the investment "is believed to be in the vicinity of seven figures annually." However, it will "still be a yearly grind." Attendance, which "thrived in the first six years of the women’s event thanks to superstars like Venus Williams and Monica Seles, is declining." While average crowds "topped 6,000 per session in the glory years of 1999-2004, only 3,993 came for the women’s final last year" (NEW HAVEN REGISTER, 6/11). In Connecticut, Roger Cleaveland notes the last year of the combined ATP/WTA event drew 76,722 in '10, a "far cry from the tournament high of 100,375 fans" in '05. By comparison, the attendance figures the last three years -- 45,796 ('13), 53,004 ('12), 55,554 ('11) -- "were discouraging" (Waterbury REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN, 6/11).
BUILDING A SOLID FOUNDATION: In New Haven, Chris Hunn notes the state of Connecticut in October "stepped in and bought the tournament sanction from the USTA for $618,000, preventing the event from moving to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and it has since become a 501c3 organization." Adding to its "new look this summer, the tournament will feature a Legends exhibition event for the first time." Retired tennis players James Blake, Jim Courier and Andy Roddick will participate (NEW HAVEN REGISTER, 6/11). Worcester said, "The ideal title sponsor is a global company headquartered in Connecticut. A global company can take advantage of television, but also (wants) tickets and hospitality for employees and executives and clients. And a local company wants to give back to local communities." She added that the tournament will be "using state bonding money for infrastructure improvements," and that officials will "look at some more-visible changes for next year" (CONNECTICUT POST, 6/11).
