PGA EuroPro Tour Finds a New Sponsor in Partypoker for 2019 Season

PGA EuroPro Tour

Online poker giant partypoker has struck a sponsorship deal with the PGA EuroPro Tour to become the golf brand’s official partner for the 2019 season. The arrangement will grant partypoker branding rights at the developmental professional golf tour next year, while enabling it to benefit from social media campaigns launched by the PGA EuroPro Tour and its parent company, Matchroom Sport.

Commenting upon the deal, Tom Waters, partypoker managing director, said that his brand was excited to become the official partner of the Euro ProTour for the forthcoming season, and that he was looking forward to strengthening its relationship with Matchroom Sport.

“The tour hosts some of the most exciting events across Europe, and we look forward to supporting Matchroom in their quest to unearth the next generation of golfing stars,” stated Waters.

What Is The PGA EuroPro Tour?

Founded in 2002, the PGA EuroPro Tour provides talented up-and-coming European golfers with the opportunity to launch a full fledged tournament career. It is recognized as the leading development tour on the continent, with its most successful players subsequently graduating onto the Challenge Tour, which is the primary golf tour in Europe.

What Is Matchroom Sport?

The PGA EuroPro Tour’s parent company is Matchroom Sport, a sport event promotion firm created in 1982 by Barry Hearn. The UK entrepreneur ‘s goal was to transform a multitude of niche sports into quality programs with a popular TV following, which he then successfully managed to do across such sports as snooker, pool, bowling, fishing, darts, ping pong, poker, boxing and golf.

In the UK, Matchroom also has a comprehensive broadcasting agreement in place with Sky Sports, which has been fundamental to the success of the promotional company’s biggest sporting events. At the start of 2018, Matchroom Sport and Sky Sports announced a new seven-year broadcast deal, meaning Sky will continue to cover Matchroom Sport events into a fourth successive decade.

Matchroom Relationship with Partypoker

Barry Hearn, Chairman of Matchroom Sport and the PGA EuroPro Tour, said that he was “delighted” to secure the support of partypoker for the tour’s forthcoming season, and elaborating further explained:

“Our developmental golf tour has become one of the leading circuits for young professionals looking to become tomorrow’s superstars of the sport. I am really looking forward to building on an already strong relationship with partypoker and can’t wait to see the benefits it will bring to all involved in the PGA EuroPro Tour.”

Matchroom Sports and partypoker have enjoyed a long-term relationship connected to English football’s Premier League, with their other collaborations including the Mosconi Cup, and the US Darts Masters.

Benefits for Partypoker

As well as branding rights, partypoker will also be sending four teams to take part in the tour’s 2019 circuit, with each team fielding one PGA EPT professional, and three golfers representing partypoker as ambassadors. As part of the arrangement, partypoker will also receive three hospitality packages to the Rose & Thistle Trophy Golf event that is scheduled to take place in Scotland on 27th May 2019.

Poker Working with Sports Companies

Partypoker has worked with the PGA EuroPro Tour Qualifying School in the past, and in 2008 was its headline sponsor. The poker brand subsequently cut back on its sponsorship deals in the wake of Black Friday, but fortunately the poker industry has since experienced somewhat of a revival.

Furthermore, the opening up of the USA’s sports betting market has created additional opportunities for the poker and sports betting industries to forge closer links. In October, for instance, the World Poker Tour (WPT) announced an official partnership with sportsbook blockchain start-up, FansUnite, enabling joint promotional tie-ins, but also providing the WPT with a footing in the USA’s sports betting market.

Already six states in the USA offer the full range of sports betting products, with many more lining up to get in on the lucrative industry. As expansion continues, the USA’s sports betting market has been forecast to be worth between $3.1-5.2 billion by the year 2023, according to a GamblingComplinace report.