Waste Management was first named the title sponsor of the Phoenix Open in '10GETTY IMAGES
The PGA Tour announced a 10-year extension of its partnership with Waste Management that will see the environmental services company "continue as the title sponsor of the Phoenix Open" through '30, according to Nathaniel Fain of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC. Waste Management was "first named the event's title sponsor" in '10. The Phoenix Open has "set multiple golf tournament attendance records over the years and was named PGA Tour Tournament of the Year" in '18. PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said, "There is not a PGA tournament out there that has not sent someone and looked at every single element and facet and tried to bring that to their own market" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 1/30).
DESERT DISH: In California, Larry Bohannan notes TV viewership for last week's Desert Classic was up 56% over last year, which is "important when a tournament is pitching itself to potential title sponsors like the Desert Classic is doing." There is "more to a title sponsorship than ratings." There are "on-course hospitality opportunities and spots in the pro-am and gatherings after each day's play where a sponsor hosts its employees or guests." But ratings trending the right way over the last few seasons is "certainly something for the tournament to smile about" (Palm Springs DESERT SUN, 1/30).
