Audi, sponsors of English polo at the elite end and at grass roots for the last decade, "left the sport" a couple of months ago, citing new horizons, according to Gareth Davies of the London TELEGRAPH. The continuance of Audi in the sport "had been possible but for a contractual row" between Guards Polo Club and the Hurlingham Polo Association over sponsors.
Behind the scenes, Audi's team "left the sport under a cloud after Guards Polo Club had blocked Audi as Coronation Cup sponsor for 2015-2017 over the new 'multi-year deal' the polo club in Windsor Great Park has signed this year Jaguar Land Rover."
Guards Polo Club responded to accusations, "denying that they had blocked Audi from being sponsors for the Coronation Cup on International Day and clarifying that Audi had terminated its corporate partnership with the polo club, after three years."
At the same time, Audi, which has since left polo altogether, "had planned to keep their deal in place as a sponsor with the Hurlingham Polo Association," believed to have been worth in the region of £1M ($1.5M) per year (TELEGRAPH, 5/29).
