Shriners this week will highlight both their hospitals and the children who receive their medical treatment
The PGA Tour Shriners Hospitals for Children Open begins today in Las Vegas, and the business strategy behind the reinvigoration of the event is to have a "bigger focus on the Shriners’ kids who receive free hospital care and new, bigger golf names at the PGA stop at TPC Summerlin," according to Alan Snel of LVSPORTSBIZ.com. It is the first year of a "renewed three-year title sponsorship agreement with the Tampa-based non-profit Shriners Hospitals for Children and also the first year of a three-year deal between the tourney and the PGA Tour." This year, there is more of a "focus on the hospitals and the kids who receive the medical treatment." There is a Shriner’s "walk-through building that all fans will walk through to reach the golf course that shows kid standard bearer ambassadors and hospital scenes." The Shriners Open drew about 40,000 fans last year, and Tournament Exec Dir Patrick Lindsey said that there is are 75,000 tickets "out there in the market this year." Snel noted the cheapest ticket is a "general admission day pass for $15, while suites range from $35,000 to $85,00 each." Snel noted the tourney this year also "recruited bigger PGA names to play," including Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler (LVSPORTSBIZ.com, 10/31).
