The PGA Tour has added Arby’s as an official marketing partner. Arby’s fills the QSR category and becomes the official restaurant of the Tour. Specific financial terms of the multiyear sponsorship were not disclosed. Arby's is the Tour's first QSR sponsor and its first restaurant partner since Morton's in '11. The deal also expands Arby’s branding efforts into golf after the company this year renewed its endorsement deal with Andrew “Beef” Johnston. Arby’s will begin activating at various PGA Tour events beginning with this week’s Memorial tournament. The company also will roll out a national promo this weekend that gives a free slider to anyone who presents a golf scorecard at any Arby’s restaurant on Saturday and Sunday (John Lombardo, Staff Writer). ESPN.com's Darren Rovell notes Arby's made the announcement in conjunction with the Memorial, which is played in Columbus, because the QSR "has more restaurants in Ohio ... than any other state." There will be an Arby's food truck at the tourney. Arby's CMO Rob Lynch said, "We don't have the budget to throw our logo all over the place. But this will make people look twice, so we think it's both ludicrous and awesome that we pulled this off." PGA Tour Senior VP/Sponsorship & Partnership Brian Oliver indicated that the Tour "wasn't actively seeking to fill" the QSR category. However, after seeing Arby's deal with Johnston, the Tour "decided to pull data and tracked golfers and their likelihood to go to Arby's." The QSR will activate the deal "through irreverent digital spots that profess that the brand is the official restaurant of 'unsanctioned mulligans,' 'long gimmes,' 'shenanigans' and 'Beef'" (ESPN.com, 5/31).
