July 22, 2012
Citi OpenSM Tennis Tournament Hires Reingold LINK As Official Public Relations Partner
New Partnership Focuses on Attracting Broader Community to D.C. Tournament
WASHINGTON—Reingold LINK, a D.C.-based strategic communications and community engagement firm, has been selected as the official public relations partner for the 2013 Citi OpenSM, one of the top 20 tennis events in the world. The tournament, featuring internationallyranked male and female players, is July 27-August 4 at the William H.G. Fitzgerald Tennis Center in Rock Creek Park.
Reingold LINK will provide event management, government relations, media relations, and partnership development support for the Citi OpenSM. Reingold LINK was chosen for its top-notch communications experience and deep-rooted community engagement expertise.
“The main reason we brought Reingold LINK aboard is because the company has a unique, community-based approach to event management,” said Jeff Newman, Citi OpenSM tournament director. “We’re creating the hottest ticket in town, while also staying true to the tournament’s long-standing tradition of giving back to the community.”
The community-based aspect of this tournament fits perfectly with Reingold LINK’s growing local and national portfolio of hyper-local projects. The tournament is owned by the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation (WTEF), an organization that provides underserved children in the D.C. area with a safe environment to learn critical life skills through academic and athletic enrichment on and off the courts. The tournament has strong roots in the community: tennis great Arthur Ashe agreed to play in the inaugural tournament only if it were held in a public, desegregated park in D.C. In the 45 years since, the tournament has contributed more than $18 million to WTEF.
“We’re thrilled to work with the Citi Open, a global event with a significant positive impact on our local community,” said Michael Akin, Reingold LINK president. “We are lucky to have this in D.C.’s home court. Come out and support this event!”
For more information, go to www.citiopentennis.com.
About Reingold LINK
Reingold LINK is a full-service strategic communications and stakeholder engagement firm located in the Greater Washington Urban League headquarters building in the heart of Washington, D.C. By understanding and respecting the communities in which we operate, we create and apply the right tools and strategies to translate challenges into opportunities for local success. We provide high-level expertise and personalized assistance in public relations, communications, community relations, branding, online engagement, digital strategy, and graphic design for corporate, government, nonprofit, and association clients. For more information, visit www.reingoldlink.com.
About Citi OpenSM
The 2013 Citi OpenSM will be held July 27-August 4 at the William H.G. Fitzgerald Tennis Center in Rock Creek Park, Washington, D.C. It is one of only 11 elite ATP World Tour 500-level events worldwide and the only one held in the United States. The event is also part of the prestigious Emirates Airline US Open Series, the five-week summer tennis season that links nine North American hard-court tournaments to the final Grand Slam of the year, the US Open. In addition, the Citi OpenSM features a WTA International Tournament which provides fans with the opportunity to watch simultaneous competitions of world-class men’s and women’s tennis throughout the nine-day event. The tournament features 48 men’s singles players and 16 doubles teams, 32 women’s singles players and 16 doubles teams, and offers nearly $2 million in player compensation. The tournament’s owner and beneficiary, the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation (WTEF), provides underserved children in the D.C. area with a safe environment to learn critical life skills through academic and athletic enrichment on and off the courts.
About Lagardère Unlimited
A division of the Lagardère Group dedicated to Sport and Entertainment, Lagardère Unlimited is one of the world leaders in this sector. Lagardère Unlimited deploys its expertise in six complementary business lines: distribution of media rights; sale of sports rights and marketing products; production, organization and management of events (including the Rock Opera Mozart, "Elle en scène", the Citi Open ); consulting in the management/operation of stadiums, sports grounds and show venues (the Zénith in Paris); representation of sports and arts/entertainment personalities (over 250 talents represented, including Phil Mickelson, Reggie Bush, Victoria Azarenka, Andrew Bogut); management of sports training academies (Lagardère Paris Racing* in Paris, the Saddlebrook Academy** in the United States).
Lagardère Unlimited employs over 1,000 people, and its activity extends over three continental zones: North and South America, Europe and Africa, and Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.
*SASP Lagardère Paris Racing Resources - ** 30% owned by Lagardère Unlimited