Deutsche Bank extends event sponsorship

NORTON, MASS. - No need to worry about the Deutsche Bank Championship - at least for another couple years. The global financial institution and the PGA Tour made official what had been whispered for a few days and announced Thursday sponsorship of the event had been extended through the 2012 season. It was also announced that EMC Corporation, which has been on board as a tournament sponsor for its entire eight years, will step up its financial obligation and become a presenting sponsor of the FedEx Cup event.

"The championship has been an instrumental part of our brand-building efforts over the past eight years and remains a critical part of our overall brand strategy," Seth Waugh, CEO of Deutsche Bank Americas said Thursday at TPC Boston, where this year's tournament starts Friday. "Not only does the Deutsche Bank Championship provide us with worldwide exposure, it also gives us a unique opportunity to build business relationships and support the community, having generated $17 million in charitable contributions and hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity for the region since the Championship began."

Waugh, who was an eloquent defender of sports marketing as a business during the depths of the recession when sponsors of sporting events were coming under attack from politicians, said the tournament would maintain its Labor Day dates and continue with a Monday finish. EMC is a Massachusetts-based corporation that develops and provides information infrastructure technology. "We are proud to continue our involvement with this great tournament at an increased level over the next two years," said Bill Scannell, executive VP for sales for EMC.

-- Ron Sirak