CHARLOTTE, NC | October 11, 2023: Elevate, a best-in-class sports and entertainment consulting firm, has today announced a commercial agreement with the PGA TOUR, the world’s premier membership organization for touring professional golfers, to support the TOUR’s efforts in premium hospitality strategy, sales, and service for The Sentry, THE PLAYERS Championship and TOUR Championship through 2026. The trio of events annually feature the game’s biggest stars while providing a premier on-site fan experience at the storied venues where they are played. Additionally, Elevate will also lead the national sales team and strategy for the highly-anticipated 2026 Presidents Cup at Medinah Country Club in Chicago, as the top players from the United States go head-to-head against the top players from the International team in the biennial team match-play competition.
The multi-year agreement will utilize best practices in analytics and business intelligence from the agency’s Insights Division. Elevate will assemble and manage a national sales team to curate, sell, and service premium opportunities for guests of the marquee tournaments.
For the PGA TOUR’s avid fans and tournament guests, Elevate will develop tailored experience and travel-inclusive packages, fusing ultra-VIP tournament hospitality; premium food and beverage; behind-the-scenes experiences and golf programming; exclusive merchandise; premier travel accommodations; seamless transport and concierge service; private pre-and-post tournament entertainment; and more.
Media may CLICK HERE to download images of select premium hospitality spaces associated with Elevate-supported PGA TOUR events, the currently announced dates and locations for which are listed below.
“With golf’s rising popularity, we recognized the value of investing in an agency that can help raise the national profiles of the biggest events on the PGA TOUR,” said PGA TOUR Senior Vice President of Championship Management, Matt Rapp. “We are thrilled to team up with Elevate, who comes equipped with the tools and resources to create new and exciting offerings that will position these tournaments among the world’s bucket list events.”
“Through this new pact, the PGA TOUR and Elevate have the opportunity to capitalize on the significant momentum of 2023, providing and driving curated, premium experiences to golf’s most passionate fans,” said Elevate President Flavil Hamspten. “We look forward to building a new, national business development arm that will enhance and amplify the national interest in these elite events moving forward.”
Elevate has named Vice President Mike DeMarino to lead the national team responsible for hospitality strategy, sales and service. Demarino will be based out of PGA TOUR’s Global Home in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. The nearly 20-year industry executive’s resume boasts experience with the NHL’s New York Islanders and UBS Arena as well as the New Jersey Devils and Prudential Center, BSE Global, the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, the NFL’s New York Jets, and more. DeMarino and Elevate’s national sales team will assist the PGA TOUR’s business development arm in the areas of forecasting, pricing, and scaling strategy; ideation and development of new premium assets; market research; executing marketing and sales strategy; event day client coordination and management; and more.
About Elevate
Elevate is a best-in-class sports and entertainment consulting firm, providing proven, innovative solutions to organizations across the international sports and entertainment landscape. With over 175 global clients, Elevate provides thoughtful insights that empower sports teams, leagues, brands, venues, events and properties with comprehensive, revenue-driving solutions. Elevate’s unparalleled combination of agency and operating experience, along with proprietary products and solutions, maximizes efficiencies in Partnership Sales and Consulting; Premium Hospitality Strategy and Sales; Brand Representation; Creative Consultancy and Experiential Design; Feasibility and Revenue Consultation for New and Renovated Venues; Consumer Insights, Research, Strategy and Analytics; Executive Talent Strategy, Recruitment, Performance and Organizational Optimization; and more. For more information, follow Elevate on X (@ElevateSV), LinkedIn, and Instagram.
About PGA TOUR
By showcasing golf’s greatest players, the PGA TOUR engages, inspires and positively impacts our fans, partners and communities worldwide.
The PGA TOUR, headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, co-sanctions tournaments on the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, Korn Ferry Tour, PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, PGA TOUR Canada and administers PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry and PGA TOUR University. TOUR members represent the world’s best players, hailing from 24 countries and territories. Showcasing the biggest moments in the sport with history and legacy on the line, the PGA TOUR has long-term domestic distribution partnerships for broadcast coverage on CBS, NBC and Golf Channel and video streaming service on ESPN+. Internationally, PGA TOUR coverage is available across 200+ countries and territories in 26 languages via 44 broadcast and digital partners. Virtually all tournaments are organized as non-profit organizations to maximize charitable giving, and to date, tournaments across all Tours have generated more than $3.64 billion.
Fans can follow the PGA TOUR on the new PGA TOUR app and PGATOUR.COM, and on social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram (in Spanish, Korean and Japanese), LinkedIn, TikTok, X (in English and Spanish), WhatsApp (in English and Spanish), WeChat, Weibo, Toutiao, Douyin and LINE.
Media Contacts:
PGA TOUR: Stewart Moore | StewartMoore@pgatourhq.com | 904.540.2765
Elevate: Lara Toscani Weems | Lara.Toscani@ElevateSV.com | 610.675.8153
