In Norfolk, David Hall reports South Korean broadcast company JTBC has paid a "six-figure sum" to be the presenting sponsor of the LPGA Kingsmill Championship. A tournament spokesperson said that the deal "could run the length of the tournament's four-year agreement with Kingsmill, and JTBC's involvement could someday become title sponsorship." Tournament organizers have been "seeking a title sponsor" since '09, when Anheuser-Busch dropped out (Norfolk VIRGINIAN-PILOT, 3/19).
GOING BACK TO THE WELLS: The PGA Tour yesterday announced that Wells Fargo has "renewed its sponsorship" of the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte for five years. In Charlotte, David Scott notes the event since its inception in '03 "has been sponsored by Wells Fargo or its predecessor" Wachovia in all but two years. Wells Fargo CMO Jamie Moldafsky said, "The championship has proven to be an incredible branding asset. We're delighted we'll have uninterrupted continuation of one of the tour's premier events" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 3/19).
GO LIKE A PRO: SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Michael Smith reports National Car Rental, a PGA of America corporate partner, will "launch a mobile marketing tour next month" featuring golfer Keegan Bradley. The company said that a 39-foot-long emerald green bus with a giant image of Bradley on the side "will visit nearly 40 golf tournaments across more than 20 U.S. states between April and November." The formal title will be the “Go Like a Pro” mobile experience (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 3/17 issue).
ON THE DANCE FLOOR: The '21 U.S. Open will be played at San Diego's Torrey Pines South Course, and in San Diego, Tod Leonard noted the USGA "produced Torrey Pines-logoed merchandise a full four years before the ’08 Open." That was "huge for its coffers," with a reported $13M in sales "before the tournament even arrived." With out-of-towners "streaming to Torrey Pines daily to buy souvenirs ... don’t be surprised if Torrey sets a new record for earliest logo release" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 3/18).
