Everton FC agree media partnership deal with golf championship The Open
Everton FC has agreed a media partnership with The Open as the golf championship makes its way to Merseyside this summer.
Everton will offer fans exclusive content as part of the partnership
The partnership is a first between a Premier League club and The Open and will see the two deliver exclusive content to fans in the build-up to the 146th staging of the tournament at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club this July.
As part of the tie-up, the historic Claret Jug trophy tour will stop by Everton’s USM Finch Farm training ground this month and their Goodison Park stadium later in the season.
The collaboration will allow the club to take advantage of the marketing platform, which the hugely popular golf championship offers, and tap into the popularity of golf among Everton fans.
One of the main marketing activations around the partnership will be an exclusive Everton coloured Open Championship cap which fans will receive when purchasing a ticket between Tuesday 21 February and midnight on Tuesday 28 February when they use the online promo code- 146thOpenEve.
Everton’s head of engagement, Scott McLeod, hailed the partnership as “an innovative collaboration between two of sport’s historic names”.
“The North West is home to England’s Golf Coast and many Evertonians will also be golf fans, this media partnership will give our supporters the chance to get closer to one of the world’s greatest sporting events taking place on our doorstep,” said McLeod.
He continued: “With some exclusive content planned with our coaching staff and players as well as golfers, we look forward to working alongside The Open on activating another Everton first.”
Michael Tate, executive director of business affairs at The R&A- organisers of The Open- added: “We look forward to working with Everton to help generate excitement for the Championship when it returns to Royal Birkdale for the tenth time this summer. I am sure we will see a number of Evertonians around the course during the week wearing their exclusive Club and Open caps as we watch Henrik Stenson defend his title of Champion Golfer of the Year.”
In addition to the partnership with The Open, Everton’s recent commercial activity saw them secure a £75m commercial boost through a new shirt sponsorship agreement and naming rights deal for the club’s training ground. The shirt sponsor has yet to be confirmed, however at the Everton general meeting last month the club's chief executive, Robert Elstone, told shareholders they were “expecting a 300% increase in the value of our shirt sponsors and we will be announcing shortly".