HONG KONG and NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - Feb 28, 2013) - BNP Paribas will this year for the first time be simultaneously partnering two exciting tennis Showdown events -- in Hong Kong and New York -- on March 4, designated World Tennis Day. Sponsor of the BNP Paribas Showdown in New York City since 2008, the Group has just renewed its title sponsorship for another three years until 2016 and will now also be partnering an Asian version of the head-to-head contests on the same day. The Bank has committed to supporting this event for two years, with the possibility of further extension.
Organised by StarGames Inc., the BNP Paribas Showdown in Asia marks the return of elite world tennis to Hong Kong. Agnieska Radwanska vs Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe vs Ivan Lendl will be showing off their skills during exhibition matches in front of 6,000 spectators at the AsiaWorld Arena.
On the same day, over in the United States, the 6th annual BNP Paribas Showdown will be taking place in New York City. Rafael Nadal, Juan Martin Del Potro, Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka will write a new page in tennis history in front of 18,000 spectators at the legendary Madison Square Garden.
"The BNP Paribas Showdown in New York has proved itself a real success, due to the sheer quality of the event," underlined Michele Sicard, Managing Director of Corporate Communications, BNP Paribas Americas, adding: "All the ingredients are there to ensure a unique sporting attraction for tens of thousands of fans. We are delighted that, over these last five years, the BNP Paribas brand, an international leader in banking and financial services, has been associated with an occasion as popular as this. And now we can hardly wait to extend the experience to the Showdown being organised in Hong Kong. Like the United States, Asia Pacific is a territory in which BNP Paribas has serious ambitions and it is one of our key aims to accelerate the growing awareness of our brand there. Our tennis sponsorship will certainly help us to achieve that aim by sharing some unforgettable moments with the general public."
Jerry Solomon, President and CEO of Stargames commented: "BNP Paribas has been with us since we started at Madison Square Garden in 2008, first as one of the sponsors and then as the title sponsor. They have been instrumental in supporting the growth of the Showdown in New York which has been a key factor in our being able to begin the expansion of the BNP Paribas Showdown and World Tennis Day around the world starting with this year's BNP Paribas Showdown in Hong Kong. We look forward to working closely with them in the coming years as we grow these platforms together."
In partnering the Showdown in New York since 2008, and now also its twin event in Hong Kong, BNP Paribas is reaffirming its loyalty and spirit of innovation to the world of tennis. These two major tennis events are an important part of BNP Paribas' commitment to tennis all over the world, not least in the United States, where the Group already sponsors two tournaments in California, the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells and the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford. Just 40 years ago this year, BNP Paribas took its first steps into tennis sponsorship when, in 1973, the Bank became the official sponsor of the French Open at Roland Garros. Today, BNP Paribas is the world's number one partner of tennis.
BNP Paribas and tennis
In 2013 BNP Paribas is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its partnership with the French Open championships at Roland Garros. This long-term commitment has, over the years, been extended to all types and levels of tennis all over the world, including both individual and team competitions, wheelchair tennis, local family clubs, and from coaching for beginners to the major pro tournaments. Based on this long experience, BNP Paribas has also launched the wearetennis.com website, a meeting-point where tennis fans from all over the world can follow the latest news from the ATP, WTA and ITF circuits. BNP Paribas is today the world number one partner of tennis.
Professionnel Tennis: Main sponsor of Roland Garros, Title sponsor of the TEB-BNP Paribas WTA Championships, sponsor of 4 ATP Masters 1000 (BNP Paribas Masters - Paris, Monte Carlo Rolex Masters, Internazionali BNL d'Italia - Rome & BNP Paribas Open - Indian Wells ), Title sponsor of the Davis Cup and the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas, Partner of the Brussels Open with BNP Paribas Fortis, of the Bank of the West Classic - California, of the Grand Prix Hassan II - Casablanca, of the Grand Prix SARS Leila Meriem - Fès, of the 'Open 13 - Marseille, of the Moselle Open, of the BGL BNP Paribas Luxembourg Open, of the AEGON Championships - London, of the Open de Nice, of the Open Sud de France...
Exhibitions: BNP Paribas Showdown - NYC et HK, BNP Paribas tennis classic - Hurlingham, BNP Paribas Zurich Open...
Wheelchair Tennis: BNP Paribas Open, BNP Paribas World Team Cup...
Academic & Rising Star Tennis: Junior Davis Cup and Fed Cup by BNP Paribas, Master'U BNP Paribas, BNP Paribas Cup, BNP Paribas National Tennis Academy of Dublin, BNP Paribas Junior Tennis Masters-Athens...
Amateur Tennis: Sponsor of the BNP Paribas family trophy and more than 550 tournaments accross the world. Working through partnerships with more than 20 national tennis federations. Engaged with tens charities like "fête le mur" as well as mainspring of many social projects attached to tennis.
About BNP Paribas
BNP Paribas (www.bnpparibas.com) has a presence in 80 countries with nearly 200,000 employees, including more than 150,000 in Europe. It ranks highly in its three core activities: Retail Banking, Investment Solutions and Corporate & Investment Banking. In Europe, the Group has four domestic markets (Belgium, France, Italy and Luxembourg) and BNP Paribas Personal Finance is the leader in consumer lending. BNP Paribas is rolling out its integrated retail banking model across Mediterranean basin countries, in Turkey, in Eastern Europe and a large network in the western part of the United States. In its Corporate & Investment Banking and Investment Solutions activities, BNP Paribas also enjoys top positions in Europe, a strong presence in the Americas and solid and fast-growing businesses in Asia-Pacific.
StarGames, LLC (www.stargamesinc.com) is a fully integrated sports marketing, management and entertainment company based outside of Boston, MA. Now in its 18th year, StarGames represents current and former professional athletes, produces original content for mass media distribution, operates its own broadband television channels and produces live and made for television events. In 2008, StarGames orchestrated the return of tennis to Madison Square Garden with what is now the BNP Paribas Showdown which has become the crown jewel in the annual celebration for the sport under the World Tennis Day and Tennis Night in America umbrella. More recently, StarGames produced the third season of World of Tennis presented by BNP Paribas and turned the Caesars Tribute figure skating show into an annual salute to the world's most popular winter sport.