Kaulig Companies to become title sponsor for Senior Players Championship, which will stay at Firestone Country Club

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For a while, the economic determination expected for Kaulig Corporations to grow to be the title sponsor of the PGA Tour Champions’ Senior Players Championship was challenging.

“On first blush, persons would say, ‘Oh, let us pass due to the fact, you know, it prices some revenue,’” explained Tim Clepper, president and CEO of Kaulig Corporations.

But then Clepper and Government Chairman Matt Kaulig believed about the recollections they’d previously produced at Firestone Region Club.

Kaulig, 49, a Cincinnati indigenous, performed quarterback at the University of Akron from 1992-95, married a Zips cheerleader, and place his corporate headquarters in the region. He was a tournament volunteer in the course of his UA days, driving a van at the prestigious PGA Tour celebration.

“My earliest matter was Davis Adore III was in our car and we just imagined that was the coolest detail at any time,” Kaulig reported.

Clepper, 47, brought his sons when they ended up infants, remembering the working day Zach Johnson flipped his 3-12 months-outdated a golf ball. Whilst a scholar at Kent Point out, he and his father produced it “our thing” to show up at the Bridgestone Invitational, received by Tiger Woods 8 periods.

“It’s these sort of recollections that we have in our own backyard that we’re enthusiastic to take to the future amount,” Clepper stated

The event’s philanthropic objectives, shared by Kaulig Firms, sealed the deal.

It was declared Wednesday that Kaulig Corporations will supplant Bridgestone as the title sponsor of the Senior Players Championship with a four-yr agreement commencing in 2023.

Kaulig Companies’ sponsorship will hold the occasion at Firestone by at minimum 2026. Bridgestone will carry on to be a husband or wife in the event, in accordance to Miller Brady, president of PGA Tour Champions.

The announcement was manufactured during media working day for the 2022 Bridgestone Senior Gamers, set for July 7-10, 2022. Between these attending had been Akron mayor Dan Horrigan and Summit County Govt Ilene Shapiro.

This year, a area of 79 will contend for a $3 million purse in the 72-gap celebration. The 2023 match will be held July 13-16.

Don Padgett III, government director of the Bridgestone Senior Players, claimed Kaulig Companies will be only the third title sponsor in seven a long time of event golf at Firestone, joining NEC and Bridgestone.

“And when we say 70 several years, we’re the fourth longest-operating location of consecutive experienced golf in the country,” Padgett said. “The other venues are Augusta Nationwide, Pebble Seashore and Colonial in Ft. Worthy of, so which is very great firm to be in.”

By Northern Ohio Golfing Charities, specialist golfing at Firestone has provided over $30 million to space triggers. Clepper reported Akron’s I Assure University, established by LeBron James, and the Cystic Fibrosis Basis are amid the 150 charities Kaulig Providers have supported. Kaulig mentioned he and his wife Lisa will provide as chairs of Akron Children’s Hospital’s Stroll for Babies this 12 months.

Clepper and Kaulig had no strategy they ended up signing on for the 70th anniversary in 2023.

“That’s a enormous offer,” Clepper claimed.

“When Don said that right now, 70 straight a long time, it is special and it is a obligation that we choose really significantly,” Kaulig stated. “Bridgestone has been unbelievable for the group and for this match over the very last 16 many years. We want to take it to yet another degree and be great and make Akron happy.”

Firestone hosted the PGA Tour’s Earth Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational from 2006-2018 in advance of the party moved to Memphis, Tennessee, below the sponsorship of FedEx. With Bridgestone’s ongoing help, Akron was then awarded a single of the Champions Tour’s 5 senior majors. Steve Stricker (2021), Jerry Kelly (2020), and Retief Goosen (2019) have captured titles at the iconic South Class.

Kaulig Companies Confined is the one-member family members office environment (SFO) for Kaulig and his quick spouse and children. Its organization platforms consist of sports activities and enjoyment, advertising and marketing and party management, non-public fairness, actual estate and expense advisory companies.

Its athletics passions consist of Kaulig Racing, a NASCAR Cup Sequence and Xfinity Sequence workforce. Now it will broaden its footprint into golf.

“If it was a golf event in Florida, I really don’t consider it would have as a lot desire,” Kaulig reported. “We do like athletics, the exhilaration of sporting activities, and what it can do for us. We have NASCAR and which is all about sponsorship and your logoed up everywhere you go. Just to have our name as the title sponsor, the identify of the golfing event suitable right here in Akron is seriously unique to us.”

Clepper sees broad promoting alternatives with the associations Kaulig Organizations has developed.

“We can convey companions with each other, new companions listed here to this occasion, which will finally support us increase cash for the charities in the neighborhood,” Clepper said. “Ultimately this is a charity event and the much more makes and buddies and followers that we can deliver to this tournament, the more revenue we can raise, the additional income we can give again.”