GM Shuffles Olds Sponsorships
General Motors to Shift PGA of America Golf Sponsorships to Buick and Cadillac
Oldsmobile Scramble, PGA Championship and Ryder Cup Matches to Have New Partners in 2002
DETROIT - John Middlebrook, GM vice president, announced today that GM will transfer title-sponsorship of the Oldsmobile Scramble, the world's largest amateur golf tournament, to Buick beginning in 2002. GM also announced that it will transfer its involvement with the PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup Matches to Cadillac beginning in 2002. In addition, Buick will become the official car of the PGA of America.
"General Motors has valued the 18-year relationship we've had with the PGA of America and we look forward to strengthening the relationship in 2002 and beyond," said Middlebrook. "We look forward to getting our other divisions involved with the PGA, its membership and these outstanding events."
"The Oldsmobile Scramble, the PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup Matches are great events, but given our current situation, we can't continue our sponsorships beyond this year," said Debra Kelly-Ennis, general manager of Oldsmobile. "We are delighted that these events will be going to our sister divisions and we're certain that Buick and Cadillac will keep the traditions going strong."
Founded in 1984, the Oldsmobile Scramble has developed into the largest, and most popular, amateur golf tournament in the world with over 100,000 participants annually. Conducted by the PGA of America, the Oldsmobile Scramble is open to all amateur golfers with a current USGA handicap index. The tournament begins each February at 2,000 local golf courses nationwide and concludes with the national championship at Walt Disney World in Orlando in October. The national finals are televised on ESPN.
Buick plans to integrate Tiger Woods, who has a sponsorship agreement with the company, into its marketing plans for the event which will be called the Buick Scramble starting in 2002.
"Our relationship with golf and golfers has always been important," said Roger W. Adams, general manager of Buick. "The Scramble now gives our program the opportunity to attract both golf pros and amateurs. This move clearly makes Buick the #1 sponsor of golf in the world. We look forward to working with the PGA of America, and our dealers, to continue to build the tournament into an even better event for amateur golfers nationwide."
Since its inception in 1916, The PGA Championship has evolved into one of the world's premier sporting events and is the annual culmination of golf's four major championships. The 84th PGA Championship will take place Aug. 12-18, 2002 at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota.
"Taking over sponsorship of these outstanding, and high-profile, properties is an ideal fit for Cadillac and ties in with our strategy to be aligned with premium properties," said Mark LaNeve, Cadillac general manager. "With our all-new product portfolio we will be targeting new and younger customers and both sponsorships will aid us in reaching this audience."
The Ryder Cup, held every two years, is a competition between American and European professional golfers. Participants are selected based on points earned at American and European Tour events, respectively, while each captain selects two "Captain's picks" to round out the teams of 12. The 34th Ryder Cup Matches are scheduled for 2002 at the Belfry in England, while the 35th Ryder Cup Matches will take place in 2004 at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.
"We are delighted to continue our long relationship with General Motors to begin a new era with the Buick and Cadillac divisions," said PGA Chief Executive Officer Jim Awtrey. "We have very much enjoyed working with Oldsmobile for the last 18 years and feel we have established one of the best sports marketing partnerships in the sports business world. We have a strong foundation on which to build and look forward to continuing to grow this relationship for many years."
In addition to being a proud supporter of the Ryder Cup Matches, Cadillac will be the official vehicle of the PGA Championship, Senior PGA Championship and the PGA Grand Slam of Golf. Buick will assume Oldsmobile's sponsorship of the PGA Club Professional Championship. This is a series of 46 local, regional and national championships featuring more than 3,000 PGA club professionals annually.
Cadillac is also a sponsor of the Cadillac Senior PGA Tour series and the Cadillac Invitational amateur golf tournament.
The official car of the PGA Tour since 1984, Buick is title-sponsor of four PGA Tour events, the presenting sponsor of the Tampa Bay Classic and is an official sponsor of the domestic events of the World Golf Championships. Buick sponsors golf instructor Butch Harmon and five PGA Tour players, including Tiger Woods, Ben Crenshaw, David Berganio Jr., Matt Gogel and J.J. Henry. Through its four title-sponsored events, which are all televised nationally, Buick has donated more than $20 million to local charities.
For additional information about the Oldsmobile Scramble, contact the Oldsmobile Scramble hotline at 1 800-582-1908 or on the internet at www.oldsmobilescramble.com.
Further details about the Buick Scramble will be announced at the PGA Merchandise Show in January, 2002. More information on the Buick Scramble is available at www.buickscramble.com.
| EVENT | 2002 GM Partners |
| Oldsmobile Scramble | Buick |
| PGA Club Professional Championship | Buick |
| Ryder Cup Matches | Cadillac (official car) |
| PGA Championship | Cadillac |
| Senior PGA Championship | Cadillac |
| PGA Grand Slam of Golf | Cadillac |