CN to step down as Canadian Women's Open sponsor.

Tough news today released from Golf Canada as the title sponsor for the Canadian Women's Open, CN is stepping down after 8 years as the title sponsor, and will concentrate it's resources into grassroots golf.

The search for a replacement is on as of today, but title sponsors, especially those a solid as CN has been are hard to come by, especially in Canada where the government has long since put the kibosh on the booze and ciggies company's getting involved.

Before CN came along and in fact RBC on the men's side I did many a Fairway's show with Tournament Director Bill Paul when the cancellation of our National Men's Championship was a very real possibility.

As recently as 2005, Pengrowth CEO Jim Kinnear, tried to broker a deal where several companies joined him in banding together, non as the title sponsor, to share the $6-8 million dollar cost of hosting a PGA Tour event and while that tag is closer to $4-6 million for the women it is as always a matter of  what bang do we get for our buck, especially as the world is still crawling out from the worst recession in the modern era.

The EPL is now awash with billionaire owners from Russia, India and the Middle East. But the EPL is on TV around the world on a daily basis, not once a year. Big companies like Emirates and AOL are heavily involved, but they can't buy the type of publicity a Manchester United can deliver.

Let's hope with a vastly improved property on offer after 8 years with CN another big company will step up to the plate, but for sure the news today is not good.


Here is an edited version of the Golf Canada press release..

CN and Golf Canada announced today that CN will be modifying its sponsorship position in Canadian golf beyond 2013. As part the transition, CN will step away as title sponsor of the Canadian Women’s Open and Canadian Women’s Tour after the 2013 season.

CN and Golf Canada also announced that CN will continue its title sponsorship of CN Future Links – Canada’s national junior golf program – and expand that program as part of the railway’s transitioned support of Canadian youth and grassroots golf.

“I can’t say enough what a debt of gratitude golf enthusiasts should be feeling for the support that CN has provided to Canadian golf,” said Golf Canada's CEO Scott Simmons. “Since 2006, their support has elevated the status of the Canadian Women’s Open as one of the premiere events on the LPGA Tour while also creating a world-class women’s developmental golf tour here in Canada."

The culmination of the 2013 event will round out eight years of CN’s sponsorship of Canada’s National Women’s Open, through which CN also has raised millions of dollars for children’s hospitals across Canada through the CN Miracle Match Program.

The 2013 CN Canadian Women’s Open will take place August 19-25, 2013 at The Royal Mayfair Golf Club in Edmonton. CN will soon be announcing the beneficiary of the 2013 CN Miracle Match.


BryanAngus