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2010 The mpI act of Ethnic Diversity on the Ladies Professional Golf Association: A Case Study of Anheuser-Busch and its Sponsorship Objectives and Strategies Joon-seo Andrew Choi University of San Francisco, [email protected]

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Recommended Citation Choi, Joon-seo Andrew, "The mpI act of Ethnic Diversity on the Ladies Professional Golf Association: A Case Study of Anheuser- Busch and its Sponsorship Objectives and Strategies" (2010). Kinesiology (Formerly Exercise and Sport Science). Paper 9. http://repository.usfca.edu/ess/9

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J J T Thoroughly answering these questions might seem to Objective-Based Sponsorship Evaluation require visiting and studying all past and present LPGA Extensive published literature emphasizes the impor - sponsors, but directly querying sponsors would likely tance of setting clear objectives prior to acquiring a prove ineffective. The sensitive and controversy-prone sponsorship agreement (Stotlar, 2005). Market-driven act of commenting on players’ linguistic and cultural objectives such as increased market share, new client aptitudes, as opposed to their playing skills, would like - acquisition, new product awareness, and on-site sales ly preclude getting genuine answers. Instead, this study (Copeland, Frisby, & McCarville, 1996; Irwin & opted to more deeply probe LPGA sponsor A-B as an Sutton, 1994; Kuzma, Shanklin, & McCally, 1993) are exemplar to examine how the company views and key criteria that corporate sponsors carefully review copes with what may seem like a detrimental by-prod - before partnering with a sporting entity. Furthermore, uct of the globalization of women’s professional golf. awareness objectives, image objectives, and employee Literature Review morale objectives also constitute critical rationale for pursuing sports sponsorships (Stotlar, 2005). The Growth and Potential of Ethnic Consumers in the For this case study, it was thus important to identify United States and review essential sponsorship objectives of A-B first The importance of ethnicity in today’s marketing prac - to determine whether those objectives have evolved in tices is amplified by the speed with which ethnic the wake of the influx of Asian players to the LPGA minority communities and markets have been expand - Tour. Today, financial transactions in sports sponsor - ing. According to the United States Census Bureau’s ship account for nearly $15 billion (Shank, 2009). middle series on the national population, the com - Regardless which ethnic group predominates on the bined racial and ethnic minority population will grow Tour or which ethnic group is the fastest growing, the from 79 million in 2000 to 178 million in 2045, and primary focus of any sponsorship activity remains to the minority share of the total U.S. population is pro - evaluate and deliver results with respect to a set of jected to increase from 29% to 46% during these 45 objectives. years (U.S. Census Bureau, 2004). In terms of purchas - Korean Domination in the LPGA ing power (disposable personal income), minority pur - chasing power may reach $4.3 trillion or as much as In 2006 and again in 2009, 11 tour winners on the $6.1 trillion if income disparity is eliminated by 2045. LPGA were Korean players. South Korea has been by Thus, the share of minority purchasing in 2045 is far the single most dominant international delegation expected to range between 32% and 46% (U.S. on the Tour in the last 15 years. The LPGA witnessed Department of Commerce, 2000). 15 different South Korean Tour winners in the past Among these impressive numbers, narrowing the four years (LPGA, 2009). The South Korean pipeline in focus to a particular group of ethnic minorities in the women’s golf is strong—more than 30 South Koreans U.S. presents more intriguing figures. Census 2000 competed on the Futures Tour, the LPGA’s develop - reveals that Asian-Americans are now the fastest grow - mental tour (Crouse, 2008). No single nation besides ing ethnic group in the United States, driven principal - the United States has produced more LPGA Tour win - ly by immigration, which has skyrocketed in the last 30 ners and has dominated in any league as South Korea years (Gitlin, 2002). Furthermore, Asian-Americans far has in the LPGA. By accounting for 90% of the “Asian surpass all other ethnic groups on socio-economic wins” on the LPGA in the last 15 years, South Koreans indicators. For example, Asians command the highest have become the “default representatives” of Asian average household income of any group in the United golf. With such a remarkable rise to golfing promi - States, at $55,521, and they have the highest level of nence by the Asians, which has helped to define the education of any group (Gitlin). Other qualities that LPGA as a premier organization for global competi - make the Asian-American market attractive to compa - tion, comes an array of unforeseen and challenging nies are that (a) Asians tend to make major purchases, issues for the governing body. (b) Asians tend to be brand loyal, and (c) Asians tend New Challenges for LPGA Constituencies to be willing to pay for quality (Hulin-Salkin, 1987). Based on their population and economic growth rates, Despite the contribution of Asian players in globalizing purchasing power, and other attributes of both minor - the Tour, the LPGA faces issues that were non-existent ity groups in the United States overall and particular 15 years ago. In fall 2008, the LPGA made an unsuc - ethnic groups, the importance of race and ethnicity, cessful attempt to adopt an “English-only” policy. particularly in the business context, cannot be over- Sponsors were allegedly growing discontented at the emphasized. inability of Asian players to interact in English during

52 Volume 19 • Number 1 • 2010 • Sport Marketing Quarterly Pro-Am rounds. To understand the magnitude of this LPGA sponsorship? Considering the rapid growth in issue, one needs to look no further than the the population of ethnic consumers in the United $4,000–$12,000 entry fee that each participant pays for States, one can reasonably predict that ethnic groups what the golfing industry advertises as a once-in-a-life - or communities will soon play a major part in how time experience. These individual and corporate Pro- sport sponsorships are pursued and implemented in Am fees are the single largest source of revenue for an the near future, if they have not already have done so. LPGA tournament (Brennan, 2008). If the participants Little research has been done regarding ethnicity in do not feel that they have received adequate returns on sport sponsorship despite the urgency of the issue and these expensive investments, retaining those revenues the potential importance of this growing generation of in subsequent years would become more difficult. consumers. Between 2008 and 2009, the LPGA lost more than 16 title sponsors and is now faced with only 14 guaran - Methods teed title sponsors for 2010 (Cutler, 2009). Of course, The unit of analysis for this study was the Anheuser- the majority of these terminations can be attributed to Busch Company (A-B), around which the case for the the global economic recession of 2008. But, clearly the study was formed. Within this case, a number of sub - LPGA was not able to generate competitive return-on- categories, such as A-B brand teams, functional depart - investment in the judgment of its title sponsors. ments, regional offices, retail partners, and LPGA The problem of Asian players not being able to inter - liaisons, are included in the analysis. This type of case- act well on the Tour may go beyond a language issue study design is called an embedded case-study design to be also a cultural issue. For example, teen-aged girls (Yin, 2003). The study included 11 semi-structured, in South Korea are seldom raised to mingle and social - one-on-one interviews and two events in which the ize with elderly strangers for money (Crouse, 2008). researcher observed as a participant—the LPGA Asian Coming from a culture in which self-promotion and Players Reception presented by A-B and the Grace outward expression of emotion are not valued, it Park Golf Clinic for the partners of A-B. Multiple would take an extensive and time-consuming cultural sources of evidence, including interview transcripts, makeover for these South Korean women to more field notes, A-B documents, and other physical arti - completely satisfy the LPGA and its sponsors with their facts, were collected and analyzed. To ensure the relia - interpersonal interactions on the tour. bility of this study, the investigator followed Denzin’s Most importantly, the challenge lies ahead for the (1984) triangulation protocol by employing multiple LPGA sponsors themselves. As previously stated, LPGA methods and multiple sources of evidence. Other tech - tournaments attract Pro-Am revenues from both indi - niques, such as member checking, peer examination, viduals and corporations. As title sponsors of the tour - typicality category, and multi-site designs, have further nament, a pre-determined number of free Pro-Am bolstered the validity and reliability of the study. slots are allocated and utilized as a leading platform for Collected data were organized around certain topics, VIP customer entertainment and new business key themes, or central questions for interpretation and prospecting for sponsoring corporations. Sponsors were analyzed via categorical aggregation technique have become dismayed as VIP guests at these hospitali - (Cassell & Symon, 2004). ty events have become increasingly dissatisfied with their Pro-Am experiences due to lack of English inter - Findings action with Asian players. Sponsors and the LPGA must work together to address the new challenges that Anheuser-Busch Asian Marketing and Golf accompany the unprecedented level of ethnic diversity A-B has a dedicated senior executive who serves the on the LPGA. But, the LPGA’s controversial “English- marketing and community relations needs of its Asian only” policy was not a viable solution. retailers and consumers and continuously devotes a sizable amount of resources to Asian marketing pro - Purpose and Rationale grams. Two of the company’s most successful Asian The purpose of this study was to investigate how a marketing programs leveraged Michelob Ultra’s golf major LPGA sponsor like Anheuser-Busch responds to sponsorships. Specifically, more than 16 Korean- and takes advantage of this new situation—the rapidly American retailers participated in a Pro-Am event at changing ethnic landscape of the LPGA—in meeting the LPGA Michelob Ultra Open at Kingsmill and spent its corporate sponsorship goals and strategies. The a memorable day playing a round of golf with Korean- research question guiding this case study was how does American LPGA professionals. In addition, selected the Asian ascendance in the LPGA influence the mar - members of the Korean-American Grocers Association keting objectives and strategies of Anheuser-Busch’s (KAGRO) and Korean-American liquor store owners Volume 19 • Number 1 • 2010 • Sport Marketing Quarterly 53 were invited to the Grace Park Golf Clinic in Pebble It’s a once-in-a-lifetime for a lot of these guys. I Beach, California, for a day of interaction with mean, if you can only imagine the fact that they Michelob Ultra’s LPGA Ambassador. Dennis, the are not only able to get up that close, but actually Asian Marketing Director for A-B, observed that a talk with them [Korean LPGA players] and get large percentage of liquor-store owners in the United autographs and pictures. There are, there have States are Korean Americans. He also noted that the been stories of some Korean retailers that have cre - fact that the LPGA has been producing a growing ated shrines in their home of every possible auto - number of South Korean stars allows A-B to partner its graphed item, plus photographs, in their living biggest customers with Korean-American LPGA play - room. It’s a source of pride, nationally especially. ers for unforgettable golf experiences. And the key point is we are offering them some - The two golf events that the researcher was fortunate thing our competitors cannot. We are, in fact, enough to observe as a participant provided unique we’re talking about share of mind and share of insights into what actually takes place at these invita - heart that they’ll always associate this positive tion-only corporate hospitality programs. In the case experience with Anheuser-Busch and the brands of the Monday Pro-Am tournament at the Michelob that we, we are a part of. (Dennis) Ultra Open at Kingsmill, VA, participants were Lee, a Korean VIP customer of A-B who owns three absolutely thrilled to be able to play on the same large Japanese restaurants in Arizona, explained the course that the professionals would play on later in the effectiveness of A-B hospitality programs for A-B week. At the Grace Park Golf Clinic, grown men brands and how they build loyalty toward A-B: seemed like teenage autograph seekers as the superstar Look at the bar. It’s all A-B stuff—the neon signs of the LPGA interacted with them on and off the and everything. When other companies show up course. The most explicit common features of the two here and try to hang stuff on the bar, we say “No.” events were (a) every invitee at each event was relevant Because we do get special treatment from A-B, we to A-B’s business growth or potential, and (b) A-B tend to sell more A-B products. I think loyalty employees worked very hard to make invitees feel con - works the same way for Americans, too. In my nected to A-B and loyal to the company’s brand. opinion, the truth in Asia is also the truth in the Western culture, right? (Lee) Sell More Beer! Another important way of leveraging LPGA sponsor - Interviewed employees and representatives of A-B ship to sell more beer was the use of point-of-sales expressed a simple and clear objective for their LPGA (POS) materials. Peter, the sales representative in San sponsorship—to sell more beer. Dianne, an LPGA Francisco, emphasized the value of effective POS in sponsorship manager at A-B, described her sponsor - increasing shelf space at retail. Dianne elaborated on ship objectives in the following manner: the specific types of POS materials that A-B utilizes to If there’s an (athlete) appearance at the influence the wholesale and retail environment, and Albertson’s Boise Open, I work with our the process required to introduce POS contents: Albertson’s gentleman, our sales rep, to set up an [With Grace Park], we have our point-of-sale, appearance where now I have this, an Ambassador, we’ve done posters, we’ve done autographed cards, Grace Park, that can make an appearance during we’ve done price cards, we’ve done quite a bit of your tournament that you’re sponsoring. So they an array of point-of-sale with Grace’s face on it. manage the Albertson’s relationship. You know, We’ve done national print ads. . . . We say, we we don’t . . . it’s church and state, we (sports mar - print them, send them out to all the wholesalers keting and sales) separate the two here. But we all, and then we create templates on ABmarketing.com you know, work together. At the end of the day, for the wholesaler to print off a template and he we all try to sell beer. (Dianne) can print it with. It can be any market, or any Dennis echoed the same sentiment, specifically by price, or, you know, supporting any type of things leveraging South Korean success on the tour: like that, so we do golf outings, we do meet and Oh, absolutely. The Asian success in the LPGA is greets with retailers at our events, at any event that a change in accessibility and it also creates more we sponsor, we’ve done several of those. We do marketing opportunities, and change is good. four of those per year, per contract. (Dianne) ‘Cause the bottom line at the end of the day is sell - ing more beer. (Dennis) Opportunity If this is the case, what strategies does A-B deploy to Peter noted that his San Francisco sales region com - achieve this unequivocal business objective? Dennis prises 40% Asian business. Granted, San Francisco is shared the following: an extraordinary cultural melting pot, but the business 54 Volume 19 • Number 1 • 2010 • Sport Marketing Quarterly implications of Asians for A-B are commensurate with Asians “killing the LPGA.” Two of the European- those of other corporations in America. Dennis, the American participants, Brad and Dianne, both of Asian Marketing Director at A-B, summed up the whom work on the A-B sports marketing team, impact of Asian LPGA players on his business: explained that the emergence of top-notch Asian play - I think opportunity is probably a better, better ers has brought better competition to the Tour. Three word. As the number of Asian and Asian- of the Asian participants reacted as if they were visibly American athletes, in sports for example, increase offended by Stephenson’s comments. To illustrate the in terms of number and in visibility, it has provid - diverse perspectives, responses from four of the partic - ed the company with broader opportunities to ipants that contrast in style but are similar in essence marshal its core properties such as its sponsorships are presented below. in LPGA, soccer, basketball, to reach out to these 1. Brad, Senior Director, International Sports new areas that would also have more specific rele - Marketing (European-American male): vance to the Asian consumer. For example, the I totally disagree with it . . . from what I have Korean (A-B) retailers in the United States repre - seen, I think a number of the Asian players, partic - sent roughly 15 million cases, which translates into ularly with their capabilities, have really brought at least $150 million worth of business to the com - the sport up to a much more competitive level, pany. My goal for next year is to increase the and have made it much more difficult for, you understanding of the importance of Asian con - know, some of the, some of the players that may sumers and Asian retailers as they contribute to the not be as talented to advance or get “Top Ten” on bottom line of the growth of this company. Take a a consistent basis, so maybe there’s a little bit of look at Mercedes-Benz, Rolex. I mean, you open jealousy there. I have no idea whether the Asian up the door and you look at who’s advertising to players are doing interviews or what, I just have no Asians. These are folks that recognize that Asians knowledge of that. But, I certainly think they have have a significant impact on their bottom-line, been and have performed extremely well and have they damn well better market to them. As far as brought the game up to higher standard. (Brad) our company? It’s starting to get there. Do they 2. Dianne, Senior Sports Marketing Manager have a way to go? Absolutely. Will international (European-American female): events and Asian LPGA golfers play a part in it? I think she’s wrong. I mean, I know she’s wrong Absolutely. Asian Olympics, World Cup, Seoul because we’ve had . . . I’ve been to several of these Olympics. It’s forcing a realization that if you’re receptions, we have Korean receptions at the Mic really a global company, you really have to have a ULTRA Open and the response that I hear back global mentality. (Dennis) from our wholesalers, both American and Asian . . Interestingly, Dianne, who was responsible for signing . I mean, half the field, they’re all, I mean, people Grace Park to represent A-B, did not see at the time who participate in the Pro-Am. Never heard one the opportunity to utilize Grace in Asian markets. She negative, and they (Asians) couldn’t be more said that the ethnicity issue was an added value to the approachable. And I think that the LPGA needs to company as it turned out, and that ethnicity was not be and deserves to be the best women’s profession - one of the criteria while reviewing the athlete endorsers al golf league out there, wherever the players come as long as they could communicate in English. For from. You want the best competition. I mean any Dianne, the priority was to find an athlete, White or major league sport in America has the best athletes Asian, who had the most approachability and celebrity they possibly can. So I don’t think you should limit status because of A-B’s heavy emphasis on customer any players. (Dianne) entertainment. Still, she repeatedly admitted, 3. Dennis, Asian Marketing Director (Asian male): [The] cross-over appeal of someone like Grace Absolutely racist! It’s from a bitter woman who’s Park (Asian) or Sergio Garcia (Spaniard) always at the end of her career. Who obviously was not as gives the company a little more choice of going accomplished as a Nancy Lopez, or a Betsy King, after targeted consumers if we want to. (Dianne) or a Beth Daniel. It’s unfortunate she said it . . . I mean the fact of the matter is, why isn’t the same The Best Competition Possible being said about Annika, she’s Swedish? Alright To solicit views from my participants on the rise of she speaks English better than some of the Asian Asian LPGA players, the researcher read them the con - players. She still won the lion’s share of the troversial quote from Jan Stephenson mentioned in the (LPGA) tournaments and nobody complained, opening of this case study. Every one of them dis - and why? Because she’s white. At least, Jan agreed with what Jan Stephenson had to say about Volume 19 • Number 1 • 2010 • Sport Marketing Quarterly 55 Stevenson’s not complaining ‘cause she’s white. Discussion You know. (Dennis) As an official sponsor of the LPGA, A-B presents an 4. Lee, A-B retailer in Arizona (Asian male): alternative perspective in leveraging the new ethnic That’s like her spitting on her own face. If she’s composition of the LPGA. Based on the single-mind - not good enough to compete with these Asian girls edness of its sponsorship objective of selling more . . . This is not an international trade we are talking beer, A-B has adopted strategic solutions to take about here, where a quota system prevents unfair advantage of the new reality: (1) the company put into pricing policy by overseas competitors, but this is place dedicated resources to pursue active marketing performance—the battle of competency. I too have toward Korean-American communities in the United thought about this issue and some people do say States, specifically with high-impact Korean-American that American sponsors run away from the LPGA wholesalers and retailers, (2) the company made a because of the Asian emergence. I don’t think that strategic shift to focus its LPGA hospitality events on would be the reason if they indeed shy away. Still, high-volume Korean-American business partners, there’s an inequality in wages and the type of which has proven to be effective in loyalty-building works that women can pursue. Can women hit 300 and customer retention, (3) the company signed Grace yard drives? If they did, the purse would increase Park, a South Korean frequent champion in the LPGA, and maybe sponsorships may increase as well. as one of its Michelob Ultra Golf Ambassadors and Between the PGA and LPGA, which tour generates tactically utilized her in its marketing communications “better” or “more impressive” shots? It’s a matter platform with respect to its Asian customers, for exam - of “show”—which tour is more pleasing to watch ple, in Point-of-Sales materials, guest appearances, golf for the fans? They’re not spending pocket cash to clinics, Pro-Am rounds, and TV commercials. Most sponsor these events. We’re talking a few million important, A-B swiftly identified the potential associat - dollars. If so, people may be more interested in ed with the phenomenon of Asian prominence in the investing in the “better” tour. It’s not a matter of Tour and seized opportunities associated with this Asian players that are causing sponsors’ lack of development. interest in the LPGA. It’s spitting on one’s own The recent debate over the language proficiency, or face. If they can’t compete, they don’t compete. lack thereof, of certain foreign players did not present Who told them not to compete? (Lee) an issue for A-B. In particular, the Michelob Ultra Mr. Cho, whose daughter is a Korean-American LPGA brand’s association with the best female golfers in the professional, had an interesting perspective on the world took higher priority. Many Asian stars on the emergence of Asian LPGA players and the future out - LPGA were portraying images of winners, and that was look for Asian players: all that mattered for A-B. While a Tour-wide mastery It takes about $300,000 annually to cover the of the English language would certainly help A-B to expenses of touring in the LPGA tournaments. Not expand its brand communication audience, A-B has all Korean girls will make it annually. There are opted to acknowledge personal and cultural discrepan - some girls who sold their houses in Korea for a cies among the Asian golfers on the Tour and work shot at making it on the Tour. It takes a lot of with the new reality. In lieu of mandating the LPGA money to tour here. Not everyone will be able to and foreign players to speak the sponsors’ language, A- afford it on long-term basis. Only top 15-20 B decided to speak the players’ language and found a money winners can break-even, so I think less and perfect fit in its Asian communities throughout the less girls [directly] from Korea will play in the United States. LPGA in the future. (Mr. Cho) Not every LPGA sponsor will have the luxury of hav - At the conclusion of these interviews, the phrases ing product offerings as broadly marketable as A-B’s. that remained most vivid in memory were “the best Nevertheless, it is the proactive mindset of A-B to pre - competition,” “the best skill level,” and “the best field pare its sponsorship team to maximize the new oppor - of athletes.” At least to the participants of this study, tunity on the Tour provided by the athlete’s changed the issue of ethnicity or ethnic background mattered racial and ethnic composition that deserves considera - little. As long as the LPGA produced the best competi - tion. The globalization of the LPGA has accelerated tion from the best field of women golfers, this particu - and is unlikely to slow. Given this fact, a sponsor can lar sponsor did not seem to care. In summary, the choose to embrace the new opportunities or to avoid reaction on the issue of ethnic diversity in the LPGA them. LPGA authorities, too, have responsibilities to was overwhelmingly favorable. cater to sponsors’ needs with respect to the new diver - sity of its athletes; however, the ultimate responsibility

56 Volume 19 • Number 1 • 2010 • Sport Marketing Quarterly of fully leveraging LPGA sponsorship falls squarely on Moon, S. J. (2009, November 11). Korean LPGA players make a U-Turn. the shoulders of each sponsor; they can grow their The Korea Daily , p.C2. Retrieved from http://www.koreadaily.com/news/read.asp?art_id=939415 businesses by custom-tailoring their sponsorship Shank, M. D. (2009). Sports marketing: A strategic perspective (4 th ed.). objectives, strategies, and tactics. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. Stotlar, D. K. (2005). Developing successful sport sponsorship plans (2 nd ed.). Post-Submission Updates Morgantown, WV: Fitness Information Technology. United States Census Bureau (2004). U.S. Interim projections by age, sex, During the editing and revision stages of this manu - race, and Hispanic origin. Retrieved from script, A-B announced that it would terminate its http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/usinterimproj/ sponsorship of the 2010 Michelob Ultra Open at United States Department of Commerce (2000). Minority purchasing power: Kingsmill, but it will continue to work with the LPGA. 2000 to 2045. Issued September, 2000. Retrieved from http://www.mbda.gov/documents/purchasing_power.pdf The public rationale given for the decision was the Van Sickle, G. (2008, September). Jan Stephenson says LPGA’s English-lan - need to “create a footprint in more tournaments,” but guage rule has brought her a new wave of support. Golf Magazine , p. 41. pundits claim that the economic downturn and the Retrieved from http://www.golf.com/golf/tours_news/arti - merger of Anheuser-Busch with Belgium-based InBev cle/0,28136,1838642,00.html# Yin, R. K. (2003). Case study research: Design and methods (3 rd ed.). led to the tournament’s demise (Kurz, 2009). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Moreover, with the number of guaranteed LPGA tour - naments in 2010 shrinking to about half of what it was Editor’s Note : Teaching notes for this case study are just three years ago, two South Korean-born LPGA available at www.fitinfotech.com. professionals have recently decided to return to South Korea to try to qualify for the Korean Tour in 2010 (Moon, 2009). It would be interesting to monitor their success in South Korea, as such a movement could result in a mass exodus of budget-conscious foreign players competing in downsized LPGA tournaments. References Brennan, C. (2008, September 4). Critics need mulligan on LPGA policy. USA Today, p. 3C. Cassell, C., & Symon, G. (2004). Essential guide to qualitative methods in organizational research. London: Sage. Copeland, R., Frisby, W., & McCarville, R. (1996). Understanding the sport sponsorship from a corporate perspective. Journal of Sport Management, 10 (1), 32-48. Crouse, K. (2008, November 2). Culture crash. New York Times , p. SP 10. Cutler, M. (2009, November). LPGA loses another tournament over spon - sorship. Sport Business Daily . Retrieved from http://www.sportbusiness.com/news/170180/lpga-loses-another-tourna - ment-over-sponsorship Denzin, N. (1984). The research act . Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Gitlin, S. (2002). Meet the Lee family. Retail Merchandiser, 42 (1), 42-44. Hulin-Salkin, B. (1987). Asian Americans—The next hot market. Incentive Marketing, 161, 32-28. Irwin, R. L., & Sutton, W. A. (1994). Sport sponsorship objectives: An analysis of their relative importance for major corporate sponsors. European Journal of Sport Management, 1 (2), 93-101. Kessler, P. (2003, November). The LPGA’s original siren is still making waves. Golf Magazine , 72-74. Retrieved from http://www.golfonline.com/ golfonline/features/kessler/colum - nist/0,17742,516199,00.html Kurz, H. (2009, September 21). LPGA won’t return to Kingsmill in 2010. Chicago Tribune, p. B4. Retrieved from http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/wtvr-lpga-not-returning-to- kingsmill,0,5400968.story Kuzma, J. R., Shanklin, W. L., & McCally, J. F. (1993). Number one princi - ple for sporting events seeking corporate sponsors: Meet benefactor’s objectives. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 2 (3), 27-32. Ladies Professional Golf Association. (2009). Tour winners: 1950 – present. Retrieved from http://lpga.com/tournament_winners.aspx?y=2005? mid= 1&pid=38

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