Disconnected: AT&T Ends Sponsorship Of Atlanta PGA Tour Event
AT&T is exercising its option to discontinue its title sponsorship of the PGA Tour event at TPC Sugarloaf near Atlanta after next year's tournament in May. AT&T will continue its charitable commitment to the tournament through 2010. Prior to its merger with AT&T, BellSouth had committed to the sponsorship through 2010, with an option to cease after each event with six month’s notice (PGA Tour). In Atlanta, Stan Awtrey notes the withdrawal "leaves tournament organizers looking for a sponsor for the first time" since '82. BellSouth had sponsored the event since '89, before AT&T took over for the '07 season following the merger. Prior to the merger, AT&T already hosted the PGA Tour event at Pebble Beach and two events on the Champions Tour, but "the saturation point came when it opted to serve as title sponsor for the AT&T National, the event hosted by Tiger Woods." Chick-fil-A spokesperson Don Perry indicated that the company "isn't interested in taking over as host of the tournament, instead choosing to focus on its college sponsorships." Delta spokesperson Susan Elliot added that Delta "doesn't have immediate plans to jump into a new sponsorship" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 12/7).
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