The Australian Open has secured a long-term deal with key sponsor Kia Motors. The new deal extends their current agreement by five years, to the end of the 2023 Australian Open tournament.
Craig Tiley, Australian Open tournament director said: “We are delighted to announce we will be extending the wonderful relationship with our major sponsor, Kia Motors, for a further five years. The Australian Open and Kia Motors partnership is one of the great success stories in Australian sport. Our incredible 17-year journey continues to evolve and is indicative of the extraordinary growth experienced by both our organizations during this time.”
As part of the deal, Kia courtesy cars will continue to transport players, their teams, tournament officials and umpires, around Melbourne.
Kia is one of a number of significant sponsorship partners for the tournament, along with Jacob’s Creek, Emirates, Country Road, Barilla, Rolex, and others.
Kia looks to capitalise on the high interest in the Asia-Pacific markets, as well as global markets. Normally Kei Nishikori commands the most interest. However, it was South Korea’s own Hyeong Chung’s run to the semi-finals, the first Korean to do so at a grand slam, that really captured the imagination of fans.
