As a companion to his cover story in this week’s SportsBusiness Journal about the state of title sponsorship deals on the PGA Tour, reporter Michael Smith talks about the success the Tour has had in signing 17 deals in the last 18 months, all in the midst of a turbulent marketplace. Smith, “You’ve got to say they’ve done a remarkable job ... in weathering [the economy]. All of their inventory is practically sold out. ... It really speaks to the sales strategy and the all-out effort that they have put in the last year and a half to get through this period, and now they have a list of title sponsors that are signed through 2013 and beyond.” Smith added the deals come at a critical juncture for the Tour, while it’s starting talks on a new TV package. Smith: “They are still in the front end, but they have started their TV negotiations with CBS and NBC. Those deals end in 2012, and so as they move forward, to be able to go to the negotiating table and say that ‘we have a full roster of title sponsors and those sponsors are signed to mostly long term deals’ ... that does make them a more attractive property than say, they would have been 18 months ago.” View the entire discussion.
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| SBJ/SBD’s Abe Madkour (right) talks with reporter Michael Smith |
