The Chinese automotive company has secured title sponsorship for both the 2012 ITTF World Tour and the 2014-15 World Table Tennis Championships. GAC’s investment is set to provide an enhanced image, as well as prize fund, to the top-tier events on the international table tennis circuit. The World Tour will replace the current Pro Tour and will boast a US$2.5 million prize fund, with $1 million allocated to the Grand Finals in December – the largest prize money in the history of the sport. GAC’s commitment to the ITTF comes on the back of its sponsorship of the 2011 World Championships in Rotterdam.
ITTF president Adham Sharara said: “The ITTF is extremely pleased to have provided an excellent return on investment at the 2011 World Table Tennis Championships. The decision of GAC Group to become the title sponsor of the ITTF's 2012 World Tour is a great fit between the ITTF and GAC. Although the Word Championships provided high brand visibility to GAC over an intensive one-week period, the World Tour will provide regular, all year round, visibility on television providing GAC with a presence all over the world.”
Zeng Qinghong, general manager of the GAC Group, added: “Table tennis is a popular sport all over the world and the spirit that table tennis embodies are the reasons why GAC Group would like to further its relationship with world table tennis events. After the huge success of the GAC Group 2011 World Table Tennis Championships in Rotterdam we have seen that international table tennis events are an excellent way for us to further promote our growing brand both within China and beyond.”
