PGA Tour Aiding Milwaukee Sponsor Search To Keep Tourney Alive
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Milwaukee PGA Tour Stop Could Be In Doubt
Without Sponsor To Replace U.S. Bank |
The PGA Tour wants to "keep Milwaukee on its schedule beyond 2009 and is working with tournament officials to find a replacement" for U.S. Bank, which will end its title sponsorship of the tournament after this year, according to Gary D'Amato of the MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL. PGA Tour Exec VP & Chief of Operations Rick George: "Our team in marketing and (tournament director) Dan Croak are working hard to find a replacement. Collectively, we're putting together some local and national sponsors that may have an interest in Milwaukee." Neither George nor Croak "would identify potential title sponsors." Croak: "We're still working on it, identifying some prospective companies and having some very preliminary talks." Sources indicated that U.S. Bank pays $1.4M annually, and George said that Milwaukee's position on the schedule "as an 'encumbered' event held opposite the British Open could make it attractive to potential title sponsors because of the price point." But George added that the tour "probably would not underwrite the Milwaukee tournament if a title sponsor could not be found." D'Amato noted a new title sponsor "realistically will have to be signed before the end of the year, or the future of the tournament could be in jeopardy" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 3/28).
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Palmer Says Last Week's Arnold Palmer
Invitational Performed Well, Despite Economy |
KING OF SWING: Former golfer Arnold Palmer said last week's PGA Tour Arnold Palmer Invitational event performed well despite the economic downturn. Palmer: "We have more going on than we have ever had. The crowds have been good. We could use some more sponsors, but there's a lot of action." Palmer said he is "not overly concerned" about the ability of other PGA Tour events to hold up in the current economy. Palmer: "I think maybe we're overstating the overall seriousness of the situation. The financial houses and the automotive industry are hit the hardest. But I think that will come back. I think that that's a temporary thing." When asked about the Wachovia name being removed from the PGA Tour Quail Hollow Championship, Palmer said, "Once this recession is gone it will return to normal. It's going to take maybe a couple years, but I think it'll go away, and we'll go back to the type of sponsorship that Wachovia and some other financial institutions have given us because it is good customer relationships, and it creates a good customer relationship with the people that they're doing business with." Palmer added he is "disappointed in our political reaction and actions right now" pertaining to golf sponsorships (N.Y. TIMES, 3/29).
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