The R&A

NTT Data this year backed golf's Open Championship for an eleventh year. Martin Ross speaks to Paula O’Connell, sponsorship lead in EMEA and Latin America, and CMO Mona Charif about the way the company activates the deal.

Fanatics has agreed a multi-year deal with the R&A to take over the golf organisation’s physical and online retail operations.

The addition of NetJets to the Open Championship’s roster of sponsorship suppliers has been motivated by the US-based private aviation company’s intention to better penetrate the European market.

The IMG agency has struck a long-term renewal agreement with the R&A across various commercial rights and services, including a heightened focus on digital content through Seven League

The R&A aims to diversify its sponsorship revenue streams Six official patrons from The Open were integrated into its 2022 Women's Open portfolio

Banking group HSBC has signed a five-year sponsorship extension with the R&A, adding Women’s Open rights to its existing status as an official patron of The Open.

Luxury carmaker Mercedes‑Benz has extended its sponsorship agreement with the R&A as ‘Official Patron’ and ‘Official Car’ at the Open Championship in a multi-year deal. Start

Nikon Corporation has renewed its official patron sponsorship of the Open golf championship for the next five years and struck a new deal as patron of the Women's Open

Japanese IT services provider NTT Data has agreed a multi-year extension to its sponsorship of golf major The Open, while also announcing a new partnership with the Women’s Open.

Central sponsors of the PGA Tour and the four golf majors – The Masters, Open Championship, PGA Championship and US Open – held sponsorship portfolios worth $487m (€420m) in 2021, up almost 6.5 per cent on 2020.

On the weekend that would have hosted the cancelled 2020 Open, Mastercard took presenting partner rights to the final of the R&A’s ‘e-Open’.

Central sponsors of the PGA Tour and the four golf majors – The Masters, Open Championship, PGA Championship and US Open – aggregated a sponsorship spend of $451m (€384m) in 2020.

Launched in August 2019, AIG’s global activation programme for the first year of its sponsorship of the Women’s British Open focused on positioning AIG as an ally for female golfers and for women in general.

HSBC leveraged its on-site rights at the 148th Open Championship in 2019 by creating the HSBC Golf Zone, an interactive experience open to all spectators.

US financial services company Mastercard has agreed a three-year partnership with the Women’s British Open, adding to its long-standing backing of men’s golf major The Open.

US insurance group AIG has agreed a five-year deal to become title sponsor of the Women’s British Open.

Scotch whisky distiller Loch Lomond Group has entered into a partnership with golf’s Open Championship.

German fashion house Hugo Boss has agreed a deal to sponsor golf’s Open Championship.