Sony Ericsson renews WTA Sponsorship

The mobile phone manufacturer will retain prime net signage rights at the WTA Tour’s 53 events in 33 countries and will possess significant TV and digital media rights.
The renewed sponsorship will come with some changes, however, with Sony Ericsson no longer remaining the tour’s title sponsor, or the title sponsor of the tour’s season-ending championships.
These changes will come into effect later in 2010, with the tour to be officially known as simply the WTA Tour.
Sony Ericsson began its partnership with the WTA Tour at the beginning of 2005. Worth $88 million over six years, the sponsorship deal was the largest in the history of both tennis and women’s professional sport.
The WTA Tour described the partnership as having taken women’s tennis to new audiences through its fusion of the sport with technology, fashion and music, and enabling for the unprecedented global growth of the women’s game.
Stacey Allaster, chairman and CEO of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, said Sony Ericsson had been an incredible partner for the past five years.
“This extension is both a real sign of strength and stability, and a testament to the investment value delivered by our players and tournaments,” she said.
“We are very pleased that Sony Ericsson will remain our partner and we look forward to continuing to deliver to fans and taking women’s tennis and Sony Ericsson to new heights through our joint vision for the future of the sport.”
 

Matt Trollope