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PGA Tour sponsor survey a mixed bag

A Grey Goose and Coca-Cola cocktail may not sound appealing, but the two certainly created a buzz among casual golf fans in this year’s PGA Tour sponsor loyalty survey conducted for SportsBusiness Journal/Daily by Turnkey Sports & Entertainment.

One-third of casual PGA Tour fans correctly identified Coke as the tour’s official soda, a jump of 10 percentage points compared with the study fielded in 2015. Coke has been a tour sponsor since 2002 and is in the final year of a six-year extension signed in 2010.

Similarly, more than a quarter of casual fans knew that Grey Goose was the tour’s official vodka, a status it has enjoyed for three seasons. Like Coke, that represented a 10 percentage point increase among the fan base.

Methodology
   
    For this project, Turnkey Sports & Entertainment, through its Turnkey Intelligence operation, conducted national consumer research surveys among a sample of more than 400 members of the Toluna Online panel who were at least 18 years old. This year’s survey was conducted Sept. 26-Oct. 5, a period just after the year’s last FedEx Cup playoff event, the Tour Championship by Coca-Cola. The 2015 survey was conducted during the season’s final tournament.
    Respondents were analyzed based on their general avidity levels. Fans categorized as “avid” were those who responded “4” or “5” to the question “How big a fan are you of the PGA Tour?” then claimed to “look up scores several times a week or more often,” “watch/listen/attend at least 11 tournaments per season” and “have a favorite player.” Fans categorized as “casual” responded “3” to the same initial question, then claimed to “look up scores several times a month or more often,” “watch/listen/attend at least three tournaments per season” and “have a favorite player.”
    When asked to identify official sponsors, respondents selected from a field of companies and brands that was provided to them for each business sector. Only the top-scoring companies and brands are listed in the results published here.
    The percentage responses listed have been rounded. The margin of error for each survey is +/- 4.9 percentage points.
    Turnkey works with more than 70 retainer-based clients across the major professional leagues in North America, but none is directly affiliated with the PGA Tour.
It was not all positive news for those brands, however.

Coke and Grey Goose saw their year-over-year recognition levels fall among avid fans, which was similar to seven of the other eight official sponsors in the survey. Thirty-seven percent of those fans correctly identified Coke’s official status, a decline of just two points compared with 2015. But Grey Goose’s drop of 13 percentage points (to 18 percent) among avid fans was the biggest decline of any of the 64 brands measured — both sponsors and nonsponsors.

Still, among the more than 400 fans surveyed, the official spirit has a recognition rate of 22 percent, which is nine percentage points better than it scored in the 2013 survey, which was fielded a few weeks prior to the announcement of its PGA Tour deal. Its predecessor in the category, Ketel One, a tour sponsor from 2005 through 2013, was cited by just over 4 percent of fans this year, down from its high of 15 percent in 2012.

The only sponsor that did not see a drop in its awareness levels among avid fans was MetLife. Twenty-six percent of avid fans knew of the brand’s partnership status (official life insurance), up more than two points over last year. MetLife enjoyed its second straight year of increased awareness among both groups of fans, and its recognition rate of 20 percent among casual fans is the highest level for any insurance company in the six years that the category has been measured.

Aflac, the tour’s official supplemental insurance sponsor, had its best year ever among casual fans (17 percent). Travelers, though, was the only sponsor to see a decline among casual fans. Just 10 percent of fans correctly identified the official property casualty insurer of the tour, the brand’s lowest in the six years that we have measured the insurance category.

The sponsor loyalty survey series, which debuted in 2007, also includes annual studies of Major League Baseball, the NBA, NFL, NHL, NASCAR, MLS and NCAA fans. The first PGA Tour study was conducted in 2008, and is fielded during the final two weeks of the FedEx Cup.

Other findings from the study:

More than a quarter of fans say they watched more PGA Tour events on television or online than they did during the previous season.

FedEx saw its second-highest levels ever among casual fans (more than 47 percent this year compared with 57 percent in 2011), but the 54 percent awareness level generated by avid fans was the lowest the brand has ever received.

MasterCard, a partner since 1995, was recognized by just over 26 percent of the fans, matching its high set in 2012.

United, a partner since 2011, saw its third consecutive year of improved recognition, to 19 percent of casual fans.

IMPACT ON SAMPLING AND SUPPORT

Are you more or less likely to consider trying a product/service if that product/service is an official sponsor of the PGA Tour?

  Avid Casual
  2016 2015 2014 2016 2015 2014
More likely 76% 65% 69% 53% 34% 38%
Unaffected / less likely 24% 35% 36% 47% 67% 62%

Are you more or less likely to consciously support a company by purchasing its products/services if the company is an official sponsor of the PGA Tour?

  Avid Casual
  2016 2015 2014 2016 2015 2014
More likely 76% 74% 65% 53% 36% 34%
Unaffected / less likely 24% 37% 35% 45% 64% 66%

Are you more or less likely to recommend a product/service to a friend or family member if that product/service is an official sponsor of the PGA Tour?

  Avid Casual
  2016 2015 2014 2016 2015 2014
More likely 74% 61% 62% 49% 36% 35%
Unaffected / less likely 26% 39% 38% 51% 65% 65%

 

SPONSORSHIP SIGNIFICANCE AND ASSESSMENT

Subject: How much more likely are fans to consider purchasing/using a PGA Tour sponsor's product/service if they are aware of the relationship?

To read: 56 percent of PGA Tour fans said they would be more likely to consider using an airline that is the tour's official airline if they knew which brand had that designation. The rate increased to 70 percent when considering only those fans who correctly knew that United is the PGA Tour's official hotel.


CATEGORY (PGA TOUR SPONSOR) AMONG ALL PGA TOUR FANS AMONG PGA TOUR FANS WHO CORRECTLY IDENTIFIED THE SPONSOR DIFFERENCE
Insurance (Aflac, MetLife, Travelers)* 55% 72% +17 pct. points
Airline (United) 56% 70% +14 pct. points
Soft drink (Coca-Cola) 60% 71% +11 pct. points
Home improvement (Ace Hardware) 58% 69% +11 pct. points
Credit card (MasterCard) 58% 68% +10 pct. points
Vodka (Grey Goose) 57% 66% +9 pct. points
Tire (Bridgestone) 57% 63% +6 pct. points
Shipping services (FedEx) 57% 62% +5 pct. points
Investment firm (Charles Schwab) 54% 58% +4 pct. points
Beer (Michelob Ultra) 58% 55% -5 pct. points

Subject: What brands do fans think should be PGA Tour sponsors?
To read: 61 percent of PGA Tour fans said they think Coca-Cola should be a PGA Tour sponsor, compared with 41 percent who think Pepsi should have a PGA Tour deal. Those numbers became 78 percent and 36 percent, respectively, when considering only those PGA Tour fans who correctly knew that Coca-Cola is the tour's official soft drink sponsor.


  AMONG ALL PGA TOUR FANS AMONG PGA TOUR FANS WHO CORRECTLY IDENTIFIED THE SPONSOR
PGA SPONSOR/COMPETITOR RESPONSE RATES DIFFERENCE RESPONSE RATES DIFFERENCE
Coca-Cola/Pepsi 61% / 41% +20 pct. points 78% / 36% +42 pct. points
Grey Goose/Ketel One 28% / 7% +21 pct. points 47% / 10% +37 pct. points
FedEx/UPS 52% / 34% +18 pct. points 64% / 30% +34 pct. points
Charles Schwab/E*Trade 24% / 16% +8 pct. points 39% / 12% +27 pct. points
Bridgestone/Michelin 34% / 36% -2 pct. points 59% / 36% +23 pct. points
MasterCard/Visa 41% / 49% -8 pct. points 57% / 36% +21 pct. points
Michelob Ultra/Coors Light 17% / 19% -2 pct. points 38% / 21% +17 pct. points
Travelers/State Farm 14% / 32% -18 pct. points 41% / 26% +15 pct. points
Ace Hardware/Lowe's 18% / 30% -12 pct. points 39% / 26% +13 pct. points
United Airlines/American Airlines 31% / 33% -2 pct. points 39% / 30% +9 pct. points

Notes: Fans could select both the official sponsor and the competitor if they chose to do so. The one specific competing company listed was selected by Turnkey for consideration in the survey file.


Which of the following is an
official sponsor of the PGA TOUR?

  Avid Casual
SHIPPING
  2016 2015 2014 2016 2015 2014
FedEx* 53.7% 58.5% 57.6% 47.3% 43.5% 39.3%
UPS 8.5% 14.5% 12.1% 10.4% 8.5% 10.4%
U.S. Postal Service 12.9% 9.5% 6.1% 6.0% 7.0% 5.5%
I’m not sure 17.9% 16.0% 21.2% 35.8% 39.0% 42.8%
FedEx saw a jump in awareness levels among casual fans this year, helping make the shipping giant the most recognized sponsor in our survey for a seventh consecutive year. The FedEx Cup playoffs celebrated their 10th anniversary this season, and fans could enter the FedEx Cup Champion Bobble Head Collection Sweepstakes by visiting the PGA Tour Twitter account for a chance to win a bobblehead of a previous FedEx Cup champion.
  Avid Casual
Soft Drink
  2016 2015 2014 2016 2015 2014
Coca-Cola* 36.8% 39.0% 32.8% 32.8% 23.0% 21.0%
Pepsi 20.4% 17.0% 20.7% 26.4% 15.0% 18.5%
I’m not sure 24.9% 33.0% 32.3% 34.3% 53.0% 50.0%
Coca-Cola announced in January that 2015 FedEx Cup champion Jordan Spieth was the soft drink’s newest ambassador and that he would be featured in television, digital and social media initiatives. The Atlanta-based company sponsors the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. NBC’s broadcast of the 2016 tournament’s final round drew 2.54 million viewers, marking the best final-round audience for the event since 2012.
  Avid Casual
Tire
  2016 2015 2014 2016 2015 2014
Bridgestone* 31.3% 38.0% 39.4% 29.9% 24.5% 31.8%
Goodyear 17.4% 10.5% 11.6% 14.4% 10.5% 8.0%
Michelin 10.0% 6.5% 7.6% 9.5% 7.0% 8.5%
Firestone 11.9% 13.5% 9.1% 5.0% 6.0% 7.0%
I’m not sure 21.9% 24.0% 27.3% 39.3% 46.5% 40.3%
Bridgestone Golf added former U.S. Amateur champion Bryson DeChambeau to its roster of endorsers, which includes Fred Couples, Matt Kuchar and Brandt Snedeker. The WGC-Bridgestone Invitational donated $50,000 to the LeBron James Family Foundation. Children from the foundation participated in the tournament’s media day and were exposed to behind-the scenes experiences. Bridgestone Golf and Uber hosted the first Bridgestone Golf-Uber Lounge at the 2016 PGA Merchandise Show. Attendees who registered for a ride with Uber from the event and used the code “DRIVEBRIDGESTONE” received a complimentary trial pack of Bridgestone’s e7 golf balls.
  Avid Casual
Credit Card
  2016 2015 2014 2016 2015 2014
MasterCard* 28.4% 30.0% 27.8% 23.9% 16.0% 17.9%
American Express 22.9% 21.0% 17.2% 28.4% 22.0% 16.9%
Visa 17.9% 16.0% 18.7% 14.4% 16.0% 15.4%
I’m not sure 15.4% 23.5% 25.8% 25.9% 39.0% 42.3%
At this year’s Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard, patrons were treated to a Priceless Golf virtual reality experience with a tour of the TPC Sawgrass’ Stadium Course 17th hole from Graeme McDowell. Fans also could purchase merchandise with virtual reality glasses and wearables as part of MasterCard’s new payment innovations. The 2016 MasterCard Golf Academy at Bethpage State Park’s Black Course in June gave MasterCard cardholders the chance to spend a day with corporate endorser Brandt Snedeker.
  Avid Casual
Investment Firm
  2016 2015 2014 2016 2015 2014
Charles Schwab* 21.4% 27.0% 23.2% 23.4% 15.0% 14.4%
Fidelity Investments 12.9% 11.5% 10.1% 12.9% 9.0% 7.5%
Scottrade 15.4% 8.5% 5.6% 4.5% 5.0% 5.5%
I’m not sure 23.9% 31.5% 34.3% 42.8% 54.5% 54.7%
2016 marks the inaugural season of the PGA Tour Champions Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs, a three-tournament, season-ending competition to determine the Charles Schwab Cup Champion. New television ads supporting the playoffs that featured Colin Montgomerie, Mark O’Meara, Tom Lehman, John Daly, Jay Haas, Kenny Perry and Billy Andrade debuted on Golf Channel in August. Charles Schwab has been a tour sponsor since 1997.
  Avid Casual
Beer
  2016 2015 2014 2016 2015 2014
Michelob Ultra* 17.4% 27.5% 24.7% 25.9% 25.5% 23.0%
Heineken 15.9% 7.0% 9.6% 7.5% 5.5% 8.0%
Coors Light 10.4% 9.5% 7.6% 10.0% 3.5% 5.0%
Miller Lite 10.0% 7.5% 8.1% 7.5% 3.0% 5.5%
I’m not sure 25.9% 34.0% 37.9% 37.3% 52.0% 50.0%
As the tour’s longest-tenured partner (dating to 1994), Anheuser-Busch backed its Michelob Ultra brand with a promotional campaign that highlighted golf’s return to the Olympics. Anheuser-Busch InBev, also an official U.S. Olympic Committee sponsor, aired ads on NBC, Golf Channel and online that featured prominent Brazilian soccer announcer Nilson César and pro golfer Scott Langley. Fans could enter to win their own soccer-inspired video by using the hashtag #ULTRAgolf on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
  Avid Casual
Insurance
  2016 2015 2014 2016 2015 2014
MetLife* 26.4% 24.0% 23.2% 19.9% 17.0% 11.9%
Geico 22.4% 19.5% 17.7% 14.4% 13.0% 11.4%
State Farm 21.9% 18.0% 14.6% 13.9% 13.0% 9.5%
Aflac* 16.4% 19.0% 13.1% 17.4% 11.5% 10.0%
Allstate 18.9% 13.5% 19.2% 11.4% 12.0% 8.5%
Travelers* 11.9% 17.5% 12.1% 7.5% 13.5% 7.5%
I’m not sure 20.9% 24.0% 25.3% 37.3% 42.0% 46.8%
The insurance category for the PGA Tour is shared between Aflac, MetLife and Travelers. Aflac activations included on-site promotions at tournaments, access to the national network of TPC courses and Aflac Trivia questions integrated into broadcasts and on social media. MetLife continued to provide aerial coverage to networks with its Snoopy One and Snoopy Two blimps. The PGA Tour Travelers Championship was pushed back a month later in the schedule than usual to accommodate golf’s inclusion in the Olympics.
  Avid Casual
Vodka
  2016 2015 2014 2016 2015 2014
Grey Goose* 17.9% 31.0% 26.3% 25.4% 15.5% 15.9%
Smirnoff 22.4% 13.0% 8.6% 10.9% 10.0% 8.0%
Absolut 5.5% 5.5% 8.6% 8.5% 2.5% 6.0%
Ketel One 7.0% 6.0% 5.1% 1.5% 1.0% 1.0%
I’m not sure 31.8% 35.5% 41.9% 52.2% 62.0% 61.2%
Bacardi’s Grey Goose vodka signed on as the tour’s official spirit in 2013. The Grey Goose 19th Hole Lounge branded bar and lounge set up signature drinks and climate-controlled lounge areas in on-course locations at several tournaments on the schedule. Grey Goose title sponsors the PGA of Canada’s World Par 3 Championship.
  Avid Casual
Airline
  2016 2015 2014 2016 2015 2014
United* 20.4% 21.5% 12.1% 19.4% 12.0% 11.9%
American Airlines 19.9% 12.0% 14.6% 16.9% 10.0% 9.5%
Delta 13.4% 12.0% 17.7% 8.0% 8.0% 10.9%
I’m not sure 26.9% 35.5% 38.9% 46.3% 56.5% 53.2%
In February, United and the PGA Tour extended their marketing agreement with a six-year extension that will keep United as the official airline of the PGA Tour, Champions Tour and Web.com Tour through 2021. United MileagePlus customers can use their award miles to gain access to exclusive hospitality at select tournaments. United replaced Delta as the tour’s airline sponsor in 2010.
  Avid Casual
Home Improvement
  2016 2016
Home Depot 19.4% 22.9%
Ace Hardware* 18.4% 17.4%
Lowe’s 26.9% 12.9%
Menards 4.5% 4.0%
I’m not sure 30.8% 42.8%
Ace Hardware became the official hardware store of the PGA and Champions tours in 2015 and signed Hunter Mahan as the company’s first active pro athlete spokesman. In May, the hardware store launched the #HelpfulHunter sweepstakes, giving contestants the opportunity to win a trip to a PGA Tour event where they will caddie for Mahan, receive a set of Ping golf clubs, Under Armour golf apparel and $5,000 in Ace gift cards. This was the first year this category was measured.

* Official PGA Tour sponsor
NA: Not applicable


5-YEAR LEADERBOARD: WHO'S BEING RECOGNIZED?

Each fall, Turnkey Sports & Entertainment polls PGA Tour fans to ask which companies hold the organization's official sponsorship rights in select categories. Here are the results of those surveys from the past five years, showing the marks for the companies that hold (or have held) official sponsorship rights with the tour, and the results for some of their prime competitors. Response rates indicate the percentage of people polled who thought that the particular company or brand was the PGA Tour's official sponsor in that category.

Shipping
  2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
FedEx (2007-present) 51.5% 49.3% 48.5% 51.0% 50.5%
UPS 11.0% 11.3% 11.3% 11.5% 9.5%
U.S. Postal Service 3.5% 4.0% 5.8% 8.3% 9.5%
Soft drink
  2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Coca-Cola (2002-present) 41.0% 32.3% 26.9% 31.0% 34.8%
Pepsi 12.5% 15.0% 19.6% 16.0% 23.4%
Tire
  2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Bridgestone (2007-present) 26.8% 30.0% 35.6% 31.3% 30.6%
Goodyear 14.0% 14.8% 9.8% 10.5% 15.9%
Michelin 12.5% 6.8% 8.1% 6.8% 9.8%
Beer
  2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Michelob Ultra (1994-present) 27.8% 26.5% 23.9% 26.5% 21.7%
Heineken 9.3% 5.8% 8.8% 6.3% 11.7%
Coors Light 9.5% 12.0% 6.3% 6.5% 10.2%
Miller Lite 7.3% 4.3% 6.8% 5.3% 8.8%
Credit Card
  2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
MasterCard (1995-present) 26.5% 22.8% 22.9% 23.0% 26.2%
American Express 18.0% 21.0% 17.1% 21.5% 25.7%
Visa 17.8% 16.3% 17.1% 16.0% 16.2%
Vodka
  2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Grey Goose (2013-present) 13.8% 12.5% 21.1% 23.3% 21.7%
Smirnoff 13.5% 8.0% 8.3% 11.5% 16.7%
Ketel One (2005-13) 14.8% 7.3% 3.1% 3.5% 4.3%
Investment firm
  2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Charles Schwab (1997-present) 26.0% 23.0% 18.8% 21.0% 22.4%
Fidelity Investments 7.3% 8.5% 8.8% 10.3% 12.9%
Scottrade 6.3% 7.3% 5.6% 6.8% 10.0%
Airline
  2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
United (2011-present) 20.5% 17.0% 12.0% 16.8% 19.9%
American Airlines 13.5% 12.8% 12.1% 11.0% 18.4%
Delta 7.8% 11.0% 14.3% 10.0% 10.7%

Note: Respondents were allowed to choose multiple responses.
NA: Brand was not measured that year.


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