The LPGA has filled three key categories by reaching agreements with National Car Rental, InterContinental Hotels and Tiffany & Co. to be official marketing partners.
“Each of these new partners fill real business needs for our players and constituents, and we will be able to drive business for them as well,” said Jon Podany, the LPGA’s chief marketer. “These are all mutually beneficial deals.”
Financial specifics of each deal were not disclosed, but industry analysts pegged these deals in the mid-six figures annually. The hotel and rental car deals are for one year with options to extend, while Tiffany’s deal goes out two years.
Just a year ago, National Car Rental’s position in golf was threatened when it and the PGA Tour parted ways after a partnership that ran from 1994 through 2011. The men’s tour brought in Avis to replace National late last year.
But National, a part of St. Louis-based Enterprise Holdings, has rebounded with two key deals in golf this year. Earlier, it signed on as an official partner of the PGA of America, and this latest deal makes National the official rental car of the LPGA.
Players, staff and other constituents of the women’s tour will instantly become members of National’s Emerald Club, giving them access to the company’s loyalty program for perks, discounts and promotions. Ed Willett, the LPGA’s vice president for business development, said the tour will drive its members to use both National and InterContinental Hotel brands.
The hotel brands include InterContinental, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn, among others. Crowne Plaza already has a strong presence in golf with title sponsorship of the PGA Tour’s Colonial and a recently signed endorsement deal with Rickie Fowler. LPGA members will work through a special Internet portal created for the LPGA to make reservations at special rates as another way to drive business.
Willett said it remains to be seen if the new hotel or rental car partners will seek endorsement deals with LPGA players.
“These are companies with a big footprint in golf,” Willett said.
Tiffany will be the LPGA’s official gifts and awards provider, and it already is working on a new LPGA Commissioners Award trophy. Winners on tour this year will receive sterling silver necklaces from Tiffany.
