The inaugural Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) New Haven Open at Yale is being held this week at the 15,000-seat Connecticut Tennis Centre. Yale stepped in to help save the tournament after Pilot Pen ended its 15-year partnership as a title sponsor last year.
“Yale fully understands that as goes the image of New Haven, so goes the image of Yale,” tournament director Anne Worcester told The Associated Press. “I think Yale understands the benefit of this tournament to this city and this region, economically and in terms of image and reputation.”
Worcester, a former WTA chief executive, said university president Rick Levin helped to recruit American Express, Aetna, First Niagara and Yale-New Haven Hospital as sponsors under three-year deals. “I would say without a doubt that Yale is the most important partner we have,” Worcester said.
Financial details of the partnership have not been disclosed, but Yale spokesman Michael Morand said: “The world is a giant place. It is true that lots of people know Yale, but you might be surprised that not everybody does in all places. It's a vast market, so there is a lot value in the name recognition.” First Niagara spokesman James Bzdyra said his company would not have become involved in the New Haven Open without Yale.
