Pitch International, the UK-based sports marketing agency, has won the contract to distribute the global broadcast rights to golf’s Ladies European Tour (LET) as the tour looks to drive its international growth.
The contract, won after a competitive request for proposal process (RFP), will see Pitch sell and distribute LET’s global media rights until the end of 2026.
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The deal adds to Pitch’s portfolio of golf clients including the United States Golf Association and Professional Golfers’ Association.
The agency is also the long-term global rights distributor for English club soccer’s top-tier Women’s Super League and held the same position for W Series, the international all-women motor racing championship, before it fell into administration earlier this year.
Guy Le Grew, chief revenue officer of Pitch, said: “We are very excited to work with the LET to reach and engage with more fans around the world than ever before.
“Pitch’s global network of broadcast partners and our understanding of the golf and women’s sports landscapes uniquely positions us to drive the LET’s global presence and maximize commercial potential.
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By GlobalData“Pitch has long been committed to assisting rights holders to grow the value and reach of their women’s sports properties and the LET is a brilliant addition to our fast-growing women’s sports portfolio.”
LET is looking to increase its international reach having seen its tournaments increase by 33% and televised events increase from 11 to 21 since 2019. The average purse has increased year-on-year and record prize funds of almost €35 million were reached in 2023.
Sky, the prominent UK pay-TV broadcaster, has rights to show LET events until 2024, while its German arm, Sky Deutschland, has a deal in place until the end of this year.
Since 2019, the tour said tournament numbers have increased by 33% and televised events from 11 to 21, with the average purse increasing year-on-year and record prize funds of almost €35 million in 2023.
Fiona Harold, commercial director of the LET, said: “Following a very competitive RFP process, we’re delighted to welcome Pitch as our strategic media rights partner. With tournaments in 21 different countries, the LET is truly an international tour.
“The 2024 schedule is looking really strong and we’ll be expanding into a fifth continent along with tournaments in at least three new host countries.
“That presents a fantastic opportunity for us to expand our global footprint and Pitch has the expertise and network to ensure we maximize growth.”
The announcement comes on the back of a successful staging of the biennial women’s Solheim Cup competition, featuring golfers from the LET against players from the US Ladies Professional Golf Association.
The tournament earlier this year in Spain saw Team Europe retain the trophy, along with record-breaking broadcast viewership figures and digital engagement.
The 2023 Solheim Cup is the last edition held in odd-numbered years, with the tournament to be staged in even years from 2024 onwards to avoid clashing with the Ryder Cup, its men’s counterpart. The 2024 tournament will be hosted by the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Virginia, US.
