The company will receive global exposure across all WTA marketing platforms including broadcast, digital and on-court branding, and the watchmaker will also sponsor the Hawkeye electronic line-calling system at the tournament. The WTA Championships will take place in the Turkish city of Istanbul in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
Rolex, which served as an official partner of the year-ending Championships in Qatar from 2008-10, has been a key name in tennis since signing up as the official watch of Wimbledon back in 1978. Over the past three decades, the company has sponsored leading events such the Australian Open, the Rogers Cup and the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Masters Series events in Dubai, Monte Carlo and Shanghai. Rolex also sponsors leading tennis stars such as Caroline Wozniacki, Li Na, Ana Ivanovic and Roger Federer.
“Rolex is a world-class global partner of professional tennis, and will make a terrific addition to our year-end finale in Istanbul,” said Stacey Allaster, chairman and CEO of the WTA. “Rolex’s brand values include prestige, accuracy and the pursuit of excellence and I can’t think of a better brand for the WTA to align with based on our shared values. Having one of the world’s most prestigious brands as the official timekeeper shows the business alignment of women’s tennis as a global marketing platform.”
The new partnership marks the sixth major deal signed by the WTA since the beginning of 2010. In addition to retaining Sony Ericsson as a lead global sponsor, the Association has signed up leading European cosmetics brand Oriflame, Chinese apparel giant Peak and Jetstar, a subsidiary of Qantas airlines. The WTA has also recruited BNP Paribas and TEB as joint title sponsors of the year-end Championships for 2011-13 and upgraded its partnership with USANA, a global vitamin and health supplement manufacturer.
