by J. Brooks Terry
Staff Writer
The Duval County Tourist Development Council voted unanimously Wednesday to award a $15,000 grant to the Bausch & Lomb Tennis Championships in Nassau County.
The money, half of what event organizers originally requested, will help pay for ESPN and Comcast advertising. The entire tournament is budgeted at $2,126,000.
“We’re pleased to have any kind of contribution from the City of Jacksonville,” said Sandy Kavanaugh, public relations manager for Octagon, a sports management firm which owns the rights to the tournament. “Now that our costs have risen, $15,000 will be a huge asset so we can offset them.”
According to Kavanaugh, the price for ESPN air time has risen to $185,000, nearly 50 percent higher than in recent years. She added Octagon was “very much behind” in securing sponsorships.
“Costs have risen drastically and money is thin,” she said.
As a sponsor, Jacksonville will be incorporated into much of the Bausch & Lomb marketing and advertising efforts.
Most notably, two national 30-second commercials will be provided so the TDC can promote the city. The spots will air sometime between April 6-11 while the tournament is being played.
Additionally, the City will receive a full page ad in the tournament program, a link on the website and assurance from Kavanaugh that ESPN’s on-air talent will frequently reference Jacksonville’s proximity to the tournament during the broadcast week.
The commercial units are valued at $6,000, though Kavanaugh and Kitty Ratcliffe, president of the Jacksonville & the Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau, said there were other factors to consider, making a City sponsorship an attractive concept.
“When the Bausch & Lomb Championship comes to town, we employ many Jacksonville businesses to help us execute it,” said Kavanaugh. “Everything from setting up equipment to security to scoring. We even do our group printing locally.
“All of these things help us bring national and international awareness to North Florida.”
Ratcliffe agreed, saying there was “value to the package and it is certainly something the City can use.”
Before approving the grant, many questioned Octagon’s original $30,000 request.
TDC member David Potts questioned the figure, because the Nassau County TDC was only contributing $20,000 to the tournament.
“I’m having trouble understanding why we are being asked to give more than Nassau County,” said Potts. “We don’t really have the numbers to back that up.”
Potts added it may cause problems in the future when the The Players Championship returns to St. Johns County in the spring.
“What if they start asking for money?” he said. “What are we supposed to do then?”
Kavanaugh said the funding structure for Bausch & Lomb warranted TDC assistance.
“The TPC is provided funding through the PGA Tour,” she said. “The Women’s Tennis Association isn’t like that at all.”
Potts accepted the answer, but said before any more money is awarded in the future, Octagon should “have the numbers” to back up why the TDC should serve as a funding source.