Swede Success: Volvo Taking Over Title Sponsorship Of Charleston's WTA Event

The WTA Family Circle Cup "will give way to new title sponsorship" beginning with the April '16 event when Volvo takes over as part of a three-year deal with an "option for two more years," according to a front-page piece by Gene Sapakoff of the Charleston POST & COURIER. The Meredith Corp., which publishes Family Circle magazine, will "maintain controlling interest" of the rebranded Volvo Cars Open on Daniel Island outside Charleston, S.C. Volvo is scheduled to open its first North American plant in nearby Berkeley County in '18. Volvo and Meredith did not reveal specifics about the deal, but the new sponsorship "gives the tournament a cash infusion and security as the star-starved WTA hopes for new marquee players to come somewhat close to matching interest in past Family Circle Cup winners" such as Serena Williams, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova. Tournament Dir Bob Moran said, "There will really be no changes to ownership, operation or leadership. This is simply a title sponsorship change. It's part of the process for Volvo here and it's a good move for them as they're starting to build their facilities (Charleston POST & COURIER, 9/1).