Jason Day will feature a new look on his Adidas golf shirt starting this week at the U.S. Open, thanks to an endorsement deal with Seattle-based Concur that will be unveiled in Pinehurst.
Concur, a $4.7 billion software company that makes online expense reports for 23,000 clients worldwide, is a newcomer to the sports sponsorship space. But it was able to find a path into golf with Day, 26, the world’s seventh-ranked golfer and winner of the WGC Match Play earlier this season.
Concur’s three-year deal will put the company’s marks on the left chest of Day’s shirt. The long-hitting Australian’s other endorsement deals include Lexus on the sleeve, NetJets on the collar, and TaylorMade on the hat. Day still has his Adidas apparel deal.
“This is a big step for the company,” said Robson Grieve, Concur’s executive vice president for worldwide marketing. “We’re a fast-growing company and we felt like the time was right to tell the world who we are.”
Concur, a 21-year-old company, began exploring the sports space because its research indicated that its clients are sports fans and, in particular, golf fans. Grieve said Day became more attractive as the company studied his international playing schedule and his visibility throughout the year.
Day was one of only two golfers in 2013 to post three top-10 finishes in the four major championships, which also happen to be golf’s most-watched tournaments.
Deals like this for a player of Day’s standing typically range from the mid-to-high six figures annually, industry insiders said.
“Golf is unique because it’s on almost all year,” Grieve said. “As a place to put your brand, it’s a very active space. The Super Bowl is once a year. Tournaments come and go. Jason will give us a very regular, very focused presence.”
Concur, a company of 4,000 employees throughout the U.S., Europe, India and Asia, was represented in the talks by CAA Golf. Grieve said he’ll continue to work with CAA on golf and potentially other sports.
Wasserman Media Group represents Day.
