The Cincinnati Open, an annual 1000 event on both the men’s ATP and women’s WTA professional tennis tours, has inked multi-year renewals with six of its “cornerstone partners,” with the brands each assuming naming rights to one day of the tournament.
Banks Credit One Bank and Fifth Third, as well as Great American Insurance Group, retail company Kroger, household products giant Procter & Gamble, and financial services group Western & Southern Financial Group, all renewed their deals, with contracts ranging from three to five years in length.
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Under the renewals, each sponsor gains naming rights to one day of the 14-day tournament, which this year will run from August 5 to 18, as well as tailored benefits during the tournament.
Tournament director Bob Moran said: “It would not be possible for the Cincinnati Open to grow and elevate its offerings without the extraordinary support of these cornerstone partners.
“These partners understand our desire to usher in a new era at the Cincinnati Open and to deepen our ties to this community. Their commitment to work with us is crucial as we create a best-in-class experience for our fans and players and deliver an unparalleled event for all stakeholders.”
The Cincinnati Open features both an ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 tournament, making it one of only five events outside the Grand Slams to host simultaneous men’s and women’s top-tier events alongside Madrid, Miami, Rome, and Indian Wells.
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By GlobalDataThe tournament created its cornerstone partner designation last year to house the six sponsors that combined to take over the final year of Western & Southern’s naming rights deal after the financial group ended its 22-year run early.
Western & Southern had a deal in place running through the 2024 edition; however, the group announced it would end its contract so that tournament owner, billionaire Ben Navarro, could seek a new naming rights partner as part of his plans to expand the tournament’s grounds on the Mason Campus.
The $260 million expansion, funded by Navarro, the City of Mason, Warren County, and the State of Ohio, will see the number of outdoor courts rise to 31 and the addition of a six-court indoor facility, as well as new locker room facilities and clubhouse, in time for this year’s edition.
Along with naming rights, each sponsor gained tailored benefits as part of their renewal, including:
- Credit One Bank sponsoring the concierge desk and player autograph sessions
- Western & Southern retaining its sponsorship of the ‘victory balls’ that players sign and distribute to the crowd after matches
- Procter & Gamble gaining naming rights to the tournament’s Center Court and its walk-in tunnels, as well as the Gillette Venus Ladies’ Day activation
- Great American Insurance Group linking up with the tournament’s court-surfacing partner, Har-Tru, to resurface tennis courts in underserved communities and sponsor the celebration of the campus renovation.
- Kroger creating a signature dessert at the tournament and continuing as the presenting sponsor of the tournament’s Fan Zone.
- Fifth Third, meanwhile, will create a lounge space for bank customers and continue to sponsor the Cincy Serves community impact recognition initiative and Pups & Players rescue dog adoption event.
