Under the terms of the new three-year deal, Mercedes-Benz will be the main sponsor of the Tennis Masters Cup and the official car at more than 40 ATP tournaments around the world.
Said Dr Joachim Schmidt, Mercedes-Benz executive: “Our unique partnership is based on clear fundamentals: brand relevance, exclusivity, target group relevance, global and local exploitation, media penetration and effective market communication. Our extensive research has confirmed that tennis is extremely popular with our target audience in our key markets around the world. The equity and value we have generated in terms of brand exposure and target consumer recall are only rarely achieved in sports.”
Added ATP CEO Mark Miles: “From the pioneering introduction of net signage to the ability to leverage local benefits worldwide, this partnership has seen Mercedes-Benz truly become an integral part of tennis on a worldwide basis. We look forward to an ever-strengthening relationship in years to come.”
The Mercedes-Benz/ATP partnership began in 1996 with a four-year deal and was first extended in 1999. As the official automobile sponsor of the ATP, Mercedes-Benz provides official transportation at ATP tournaments, has prominent car displays at tournament sites, the Mercedes-Benz ‘Star’ on the nets, as well as being the main sponsor of the Tennis Masters Cup.
