2016 Sponsorship Opportunities Tournament At-A-Glance
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2016 SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES TOURNAMENT AT-A-GLANCE The Connecticut Open is a world-class WTA (women’s) tennis event that benefits the community and statewide charities. Long considered the tune-up to the US Open, the tournament is the only event of its kind in the Northeast and also the culmination of the summer long Emirates Airline US Open Series. Legacy event with a rich history; Tournament Director Anne Worcester is former CEO of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) with relationships that result in World Top 10 players competing in Connecticut each year – alongside the rising stars of tomorrow. Former champions read like a “Who’s Who” of women’s tennis: Steffi Graf, Venus Williams, Jennifer Capriati, Lindsay Davenport, Justine Henin, Caroline Wozniacki, and Petra Kvitova. To the delight of men’s tennis fans, in 2014 Connecticut Open added an annual Men’s Legends event. 2015’s event is headlined by John McEnroe alongside Andy Roddick, James Blake and Jim Courier. 2 2015 TOURNAMENT RESULTS LOCATION: Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale New Haven, Connecticut PRIZE MONEY: $754,163 PLAYER FIELD:* Including five World Top 10 and more than half of the top 30 from over 25 countries. DEFENDING SINGLES CHAMPION:* World #4 Petra Kvitova (CZE) ATTENDANCE: 52,000 TV COVERAGE:** Domestic: ESPN2 holds the domestic TV rights - 3.7M viewers Global: 7.8M viewers worldwide in over 160 countries Digital Coverage:** An additional 1.7M watched via mobile, web, and over- the top digital services such as Apple TV, Roku, and other Petra Kvitova (CZE) World #4 digital devices. Three-time Connecticut Open Champion Two-time Wimbledon Champion * Rankings as of 9/23/15 **SMG YOUGov, 2015coverag. 3 SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES ALIGN YOUR BRAND WITH INDUSTRY LEADERS 4 BRANDING 5 STADIUM COURT SIGNAGE Propel your brand into a regional, national, and international spotlight with in-stadium branding opportunities, including signage in domestic and global television view. Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale - Stadium Court 6 STADIUM COURT – TV VIEW Stadium Backwall Three Primary, One Corner and Two “ticker” positions (see small circles for “tickers”) Stadium Sidewall 7 STADIUM COURT – TV VIEW Net Judge Box Radar Gun 8 STADIUM COURT – TV VIEW Tunnel Signs: (pair) Northeast & Southwest corners or Northwest & Southeast Umpire Chair 9 STADIUM COURT – TV VIEW Player Towel Barrel Cooler – (SOLD) 10 STADIUM COURT – SPECTATOR VIEW Entitlement of the Sponsor Club (may be available after 12/1/15) Middle Tier Signage Video Scoreboards 11 CONSUMER ENGAGEMENT 12 CONSUMER ENGAGEMENT TOURNAMENT GROUNDS Connect on site with a desirable demographic EXHIBITOR BOOTHS: Data Capture, Product Sampling and Sales 13 CONSUMER ENGAGEMENT TOURNAMENT GROUNDS Wilson Sporting Goods - Demo Days Aetna – Smoothie Bike Yale University Jumbo Handsome Dan Citizen Watch – “Citizen Selfie” Promotion First Niagara – “Banko” 14 PLAYER ENGAGEMENT & SOCIAL MEDIA FRENDS Headphones – Player gifts WTA player, Nicole Gibbs. Autograph Sessions with WTA Players Four-time champion, Caroline Wozniacki shown. Bank of America - #troopthanks UCONN Women’s Basketball Coach Geno Auriemma Closer to Free Player Challenge for Smilow Cancer Hospital Men’s Legends Jim Courier (left) and James Blake (right) 15 VIP HOSPITALITY Entertain clients and key stakeholders Recognize executives and employees 16 TICKETS & HOSPITALITY *Sponsor Hospitality Club Hospitality Suites and Box Seats *Early week corporate rentals. Please inquire about pricing and availability. Boxholder Restaurant 17 Community Outreach Demographics Television Coverage Marketing/PR 18 HEART OF THE TOURNAMENT The tournament’s strategy has always been to leverage the excitement and power of professional tennis to build interest and participation at the community level. The tournament partners with 501(c)3 New Haven Youth Tennis & Education (NEW HYTEs), New Haven Parks & Rec, New Haven Public Schools, and the USTA year round to provide tennis lessons, life skills, and leadership development programming. Family Classic - Connecticut Open also presents the year-round parent/child competition that encourages a healthy, active lifestyle for families with nearly 100 tennis events throughout seven states in New England and New York over eight months, culminating at the Connecticut Open in August. 19 SPONSORS MAKING A DIFFERENCE AMERICAN EXPRESS – In association with the USTA’s Fresh Courts initiative, American Express and the Connecticut Open transformed McClain Park, a downtrodden, abandoned New Haven park, into a safe place for neighborhood kids to play tennis, baseball and enjoy the playground. World #20, Andrea Petkovic, led a free clinic for local Boys & Girls Club youth. EMIRATES AIRLINE – US Open Series Title sponsor Emirates Airline activated a racquet return program and an annual on-site tennis clinic for NewHYTEs (New Haven Youth Tennis & Education). Emirates has also made annual cash and equipment donations to New Haven inner city programs. FIRST NIAGARA – First Niagara donated new tennis equipment to 300+ elementary school children at the tournament’s annual Free Lesson clinic. In 2013, together with the Governor’s Prevention Partnership on mentoring, the bank and Governor Malloy spoke about the importance of mentoring prior to Free Lesson. That same year, the bank and Connecticut Open presented a youth clinic In Newtown to advance healing and recovery for the children. American Express Fresh Courts initiative in Emirates Airline Returns Clinic Free Lesson New Haven, CT 20 SPECTATOR DEMOGRAPHICS CONNECTICUT OPEN FANS ARE MATURE, AFFLUENT, AND WELL EDUCATED • Mature - Spectators are adults 35-64 years old. • Affluent - 60% have a household income (HHI) of $100,000+; 15% have HHI of $200k+; 4% have HHI of $500k+. • Educated- 70% have graduated college, or higher. • The only event of its kind in the Northeast, fans travel from 28 states and internationally, with the majority attending from affluent Connecticut suburbs and NYC commuter towns, especially New Haven, Hartford and Fairfield Counties. Source: The George Washington University, Economic Impact Analysis 21 DOMESTIC & INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION COVERAGE ESPN2 holds the domestic television rights to the tournament with more and more coverage appearing on its digital platform ESPN3, available via the Watch ESPN app. Internationally, the global TV feed is picked up in 160 countries.* *Source: WTA TV, 2015 **Full list available upon request. 22 TOURNAMENT & SERIES MARKETING 2015 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Connecticut Open Approximate Markets Impressions Marketing 59M* Statewide and regional markets including: New Haven, Hartford, Stamford, Bridgeport and NYC Public Relations 900M** Regional, National, and International Media Outlets National - TV; syndicated radio; tennis publications. Emirates Airline Min. 3.8M Connecticut - TV morning shows and late news (GMA, Today, CBS Sunday US Open Series Impressions AM); ESPN2; ESPN.com; digital ads targeted to Connecticut tennis fans (e.g., (2014) YahooSports.com; Tennis.com; Fox Sports, etc.); local radio. 23 TOURNAMENT MARKETING Tournament implements a fully-integrated marketing campaign to Connecticut residents, NYC commuters, and tennis fans via TV, digital, radio, social, print, out of home, and direct mail. TV Commercials Twitter 150,000 ticket brochures New York Times and Metro North Facebook www.ctopen.org Billboards YouTube Radio Spots – click on the speaker above 24 DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL PRESS 25 JOIN THE FUN! 26 JOIN THE FUN! Madison Keys poses for a photo with fans after her win. The “Triathlon” Petra Kvitova and Caroline Wozniacki Jonathan the Husky gets ready for UConn Night 27 JOIN THE FUN! 2nd Annual Men’s Legends presented by PowerShares. 2015’s event was headlined by John McEnroe alongside Andy Roddick, James Blake and Jim Courier. John McEnroe “quiets” the crowd during the Men’s Legends event. Getting a “selfie” with James Blake. 28 JOIN THE FUN! 2015 Kids Day Party rockers in the house tonight! Redfoo helps to raise money for ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Smilow Cancer Center. 2012, 2014 & 2015 Champion – Petra Kvitova Tournament Director – Anne Worcester 2013 Champion – Simona Halep 29 WHY TENNIS? WHY WOMEN’S TENNIS? 30 WHY TENNIS? 1. Great way to reach female sports enthusiasts. Offers a Sizable Female Audience – Tennis (55%) vs. Golf (34%) 2. It attracts a diverse audience. 69% white/19% black/12% Hispanic/4% Asian) vs. Golf (77% white/14% black) 3. Tennis fans are open to connecting with sponsors. The average fan spends 6.5 hours on the grounds per visit 4. Tennis fans are highly engaged on-site. 67% visit and interact with sponsors on-site 5. Allows brands to have an extended “conversation” with fans. Average attendees spend 51 minutes visiting sponsor booths 6. Facilitates a connection with consumers and their passion 81% of fans understand the importance of sponsor support 7. Sponsorship has a positive impact on brand image and perceptions. 64% of fans feel more positive toward a sponsor’s brand 8. Tennis fans have a positive impression of sponsors. 88% view sponsorships as a good way to promote products 9. Tennis tournaments drive sales. 64% of fans more likely to buy a sponsor’s product as a result of sponsorship 10. Tennis tournaments drive ROI. Cost/Benefit ratio (avg. 2:1) meets or exceeds industry thresholds 31 WHY WOMEN’S TENNIS? Pioneers in Women’s Sports History 1970 Billie Jean King leads a group of eight other renegades known as The Original Nine. TWO YEARS ahead of Title IX, they envision a better future for women’s tennis. $1 contracts signed by all nine to compete in the brand new Virginia Slims Series, endorsed by the Philip Morris Company. $7,500 - prize money for the inaugural Virginia Slims of Billie Jean King’s Original Nine shown holding $1 bills Houston, established on September 23, 1970. $754,163 – prize money for the 2015 Connecticut Open GROUNDBREAKING. LEGENDARY. GENDER EQUITY. EQUAL PAY. 32 WHY WOMEN’S TENNIS? The WTA Story Pioneers in Women’s Sports History 1990’s – Current Connecticut Open Tournament Director Anne Worcester served four years as CEO of the WTA, the governing body of women’s tennis and the world’s preeminent sporting circuit for women.