SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- The PGA Tour announced that ZTE has signed a three-year marketing agreement to become its first-ever official smartphone.
The deal, which includes global rights through 2020, was officially signed by PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan and ZTE Mobile Devices CEO Lixin Cheng on Wednesday at Silverado Resort and Spa in Napa, California, where the Safeway Open begins the 2017-18 PGA Tour Season.
"The PGA Tour is delighted to introduce ZTE as a new marketing partner as we enter the smartphone category for the first time," said Brian Oliver,PGA Tour Senior Vice President for Sponsorship & Partnership.
"Mobile devices have become such a critical means by which fans watch and get updates on our competition, find information about their favorite players and share PGA Tour-related content," he said.
ZTE is a Chinese provider of advanced telecommunications systems, mobile devices, and enterprise technology solutions to consumers, carriers, companies and public sector customers.
"Becoming the first Official Smartphone of the PGA Tour is a historic moment for ZTE," Cheng said. "The Tour, with its prestigious brand and global fan base, brings a tremendous opportunity for ZTE to connect directly with golf fans around the world and demonstrate our prowess in mobile technology."
More than 130 tournaments are co-sanctioned on the PGA Tour. Its members represent the world's best players, hailing from 24 countries worldwide.
PGA Tour tournaments are broadcast to more than 1.1 billion households in 23 Languages. Beyond having an on-site presence at select tournaments, ZTE will promote the new relationship in a variety of ways.
In addition to utilizing the PGA Tour's online digital assets, select ZTE smartphones will be pre-loaded with PGA Tour LIVE, the Tour's Over-The-Top subscription service that features exclusive early-round coverage of featured groups.
