Golf’s PGA Tour has named Chinese telecommunications company ZTE as its first official smartphone partner.
The three-year deal includes global rights through 2020.
ZTE will have an on-site presence at select PGA Tour tournaments. It will also utilise the Tour’s online digital assets, while select ZTE smartphones will be pre-loaded with the Tour’s OTT subscription service, PGA Tour Live. ZTE customers will receive a free 30-day trial of the service as part of the agreement.
ZTE has an existing presence on the Tour, having served as a hospitality partner at this year’s Farmers Open. The company is also the official smartphone of the Canadian Open and holds an endorsement deal with New Zealand’s Danny Lee (pictured), a PGA Tour member.
“The PGA Tour is delighted to introduce ZTE as a new marketing partner as we enter the smartphone category for the first time,” Brian Oliver, the Tour’s senior vice-president of sponsorship and partnership, said.
“Mobile devices have become such a critical means by which fans watch and get updates on our competition, find information about their favourite players and share PGA Tour-related content. In ZTE, we are partnering with a global leader in the telecommunications industry.”
The 2017-18 PGA Tour season begins later today (Thursday) with the Safeway Open at Silverado Resort and Spa in Napa, California.