Dubai Duty Free signs biggest-ever sponsorship deal as it nets agreement with women’s tennis body

UAE. Dubai Duty Free has reached a multi-year agreement with the WTA Tour to be an official sponsor of the Tour and the Tour’s presenting sponsor of the “Rest of the World” region, which includes the Middle East and Asia Pacific.

The announcement was made after the Dubai singles final last week, in which world number one Justine Henin-Hardenne defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova. Henin-Hardenne is pictured (left) with Dubai Duty Free managing director Colm McLoughlin and WTA Tour CEO Larry Scott.

The deal, which takes effect this year and runs through 2008, is a five-year commercial partnership that represents Dubai Duty Free’s largest sponsorship commitment to-date. Under the terms of the agreement, Dubai Duty Free will become the official worldwide duty free retailer of the Tour and presenting sponsor of a new WTA Tour magazine-style television show.

Dubai Duty Free is a major supporter of international tennis through its ownership and management of the Dubai Tennis Championships, which includes a WTA Tour Tier II tournament and an ATP World Series tournament.

Commenting on the agreement, HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of the Department of Civil Aviation, Dubai said: “Through its sponsorship of major tournaments, Dubai Duty Free has helped to raise the profile of Dubai as a world-class sports and leisure destination. This latest development, which includes TV coverage worldwide, will ensure an even greater global awareness.”

As part of the sponsorship agreement, the magazine-style tennis show produced by the WTA Tour will focus on the personalities and lifestyles of WTA Tour players. Filming for the series which will be shown in the summer has commenced in Dubai during the Dubai Duty Free Women’s Open (23-28 February).

Dubai Duty Free managing director Colm McLoughlin said: “At present, the Dubai Tennis Championships is watched by an estimated TV audience of 400 million. This new sponsorship agreement, which has a number of different elements, will open up new territories for marketing the brand, which will of course impact on the overall promotion of Dubai.”

In addition, television commercials promoting the partnership will be created and featured in the US and Europe. There will also be specific promotional activities around the sponsorship at select European and US tournaments. The joint DDF/WTA Tour logo will also be part of a new apparel patch worn by players at “Rest of the World” region tournaments.

The agreement with Dubai Duty Free represents a key component in the WTA Tour’s strategic global marketing plan aimed at developing regional partnerships in key markets worldwide. The Dubai Duty Free deal follows the commercial partnership the Tour established in 2002 with Porsche as the official car of the Tour and North American sponsor, as well as presenting sponsor of the season-ending WTA Tour Championships in Los Angeles, California.

“We are excited about this new agreement and partnership with Dubai Duty Free, which has been a great supporter of professional sports, particularly women’s tennis, for many years,” WTA Tour CEO Larry Scott said.

Note: The WTA Tour is the world’s premier professional sport for women with more than 1,100 players representing 76 nations and competing for more than US$58 million in prize money at the Tour’s 59 events in 31 countries, as well as the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. More than four million people attended women’s tennis events in 2003 with millions more watching events on television networks around the world.

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