USTA and Stonyfield Farm Sign New Partnership Agreement for US Open
August 24, 2009
*WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., August 24, 2009 — *The USTA announced today that Stonyfield Farm, the world’s largest organic yogurt maker, has entered into a one-year sponsorship agreement with the US Open to promote its Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt brand. The new partnership is a first of its kind for the US Open, the world’s highest-attended annual sporting event, and represents one of Stonyfield’s most significant associations with sports in its history.
As part of the new partnership, Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt will receive significant signage in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Stonyfield plans an aggressive sampling program from a dedicated promotional booth on-site at the US Open, as well as multiple mobile carts on the Boardwalk that leads from the Long Island Railroad and 7 train to the East Gate entrance to the NTC. Stonyfield will hand out tens of thousands of four ounce samples of Oikos in flavors including strawberry, blueberry, honey, plain and vanilla.
“We are thrilled to welcome our new partner Stonyfield Farm to the US Open,” said Pierce O’Neil, USTA Chief Business Officer. “The USTA, US Open and Oikos Organic Yogurt are a perfect fit given our mutual commitment to excellence and to promoting the importance of a healthy lifestyle and environmentally important behavior.”
“We look forward to being part of one of the country’s premier sporting events,” says Stonyfield President and CE-Yo Gary Hirshberg, “and as an enthusiastic tennis player myself, I’m doubly thrilled. Our mission promoting healthy food, healthy people, a healthy planet, and healthy business makes our partnership with the US Open a great match. Our organic yogurts are the perfect food for those concerned about personal health and the health of the planet, and as a pioneer in corporate responsibility, we also applaud efforts to green the Open. We know this year’s event will be exciting and inspiring — with lots of Oikos Greek yogurt fueling the action on and off the court!”
In addition, Stonyfield will serve as a presenting sponsor of “US Open Live,” the live-streaming of the US Open on USOpen.org. In 2009, USOpen.org, the official website of the US Open, will offer the most extensive live streaming in the history of the event, airing all matches within the ESPN and Tennis Channel broadcast television windows. Streaming up to five matches simultaneously, US Open.org will make more than 150 matches available for free within the United States. Live streaming also will integrate live match stats updates, fan commenting and picture-in-picture capabilities. Oikos Organic will alsol be integrated throughout the official website of the US Open.
The 2009 US Open will be held Monday, August 31 through Sunday, September 13. The tournament will be broadcast by CBS, ESPN and Tennis Channel.