Relationship extended through 2016 with the option to renew for one more year
LONDON, England – November 30, 2014 – The International Sports Promotion Society (ISPS HANDA) and the Ladies European Tour (LET) have extended their partnership in order to promote the sport of golf, especially blind and disabled golf.
Already one of the biggest supporters of women’s golf, ISPS HANDA will become a strategic partner of the LET across the tour and charitable events. As part of a two year agreement, with the option to renew for a further year, ISPS HANDA will continue as the title sponsor of the Ladies European Masters at Buckinghamshire Golf Club and will also become the tour’s Official Charity. ISPS HANDA will also continue to support Dame Laura Davies as an official ambassador.
“ISPS is delighted to enter into a strategic partnership with the Ladies European Tour,” said ISPS Chairman Dr Haruhisa Handa. “We’ve been working closely with the LET since 2012, working together to showcase the “power of sport.” We look forward to developing our efforts to promote blind and disabled golf and our primary aspiration for golf to become included in the Paralympics.”
As an international golf tour, the LET is well positioned to be a strategic partner to ISPS HANDA. The LET will use its network of partnerships with national governing bodies, tournament promoters, players and regional golf tours to facilitate strategic opportunities for ISPS HANDA to further its mission and values.
LET CEO Ivan Khodabakhsh said: “The LET is extremely proud of our relationship with ISPS and couldn’t be more pleased to extend our partnership to help raise the global stature of both women’s and disability golf. ISPS has done so much to grow the game and we plan to build on these achievements and take the relationship to the next level.”
ISPS HANDA was the title sponsor of three tournaments on the LET schedule in 2014 and the tour intends to explore a number of additional areas of cooperation. These include support of young players, the creation of charitable global ambassadors and activities to promote ISPS’s goals.
About ISPS HANDA
ISPS is a ‘General Incorporated Association’ based in Tokyo. ISPS was founded by Japanese philanthropist Dr Haruhisa Handa in 2006 to support charitable causes throughout the sporting world. ISPS’s support for golf is founded in its belief in the “power of sport” and it has fostered partnerships with golf governing bodies worldwide to help develop the game at every level and promote blind and disabled golf. ISPS’s heritage in supporting blind and disabled golf and Dr Handa’s interest and philanthropic contribution in golf has formed the foundation of its wider mission for golf to become a Paralympic sport.
About the Ladies European Tour (LET)
The Ladies European Tour is a company limited by guarantee, not having a share capital, and its objectives are to promote world-wide interest in the game of golf, to maintain high standards in the promotion, development and conduct of ladies’ professional golf activities, to provide opportunities in tournament play and golf promotion for women golf professionals, to co-operate with organisations engaged in golf promotion whose objectives are compatible with those of the Ladies European Tour and to protect and further the mutual interest of the Tour and its Members. Formed as the WPGA in 1978, the first series of golf tournaments took place in Great Britain in 1979. Now in its 36th year, in 2014 the Ladies European Tour features 24 tournaments in 18 different countries globally. With a strong base in Europe, the LET has in recent years expanded into new territories such as Dubai, India, New Zealand, South Africa, Turkey and China. In 2014, the international schedule began in New Zealand and concludes in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The Tour’s 300+ Members represent 40 different nationalities. In 2010, the LET launched the LET Access Series, the official feeder tour to the Ladies European Tour, formed to give players not part of a major tour an opportunity to compete and progress on to the Ladies European Tour. In January 2013, Ivan Peter Khodabakhsh became Chief Executive Officer of the Ladies European Tour, whose headquarters are located at Buckinghamshire Golf Club in Denham, near London, England.
Media Contacts:
Ladies European Tour
Bethan Cutler, Media Manager; [email protected]; +44 (0)7980056045
ISPS HANDA
Robin Spring, PR Manager, WSM Communications; [email protected]; +44 (0) 779 911 7778
