The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has continued its growth and global expansion through its announcement of a multi-year partnership with women’s health focused brand, Hologic.
The deal is said to be worth more than WTA’s former US$14.7 million (AUD$20 million) sponsorship deal with Sony Ericsson, with WTA tour president, Micky Lawler, claiming the new deal is one of the biggest in women’s sport history.
The deal is Hologic’s first global partnership and will see the medical technology innovator become the WTA tour’s title sponsor with the potential for the two organisations to collaborate on a women’s health content series and an athlete research program.
The partnership aims to achieve progress in women’s health through the organisations’ shared vision of greater wellness and equality for women.
Hologic chairman, president and CEO, Steve MacMillan, said Hologic and WTA have come together with a collective purpose as pioneering advocates for women.
“We are proud to stand with the WTA in our commitment to the highest integrity and values,” Macmillan said.
“Ultimately, our partnership allows us to jointly raise the profile of women even higher and to share the importance of early detection and treatment with women across the world,” he said.
On the new partnership, Lawler said she is excited for the partnership and its ability to represent a new era of women breaking barriers and focusing on their health.
“Reflecting on the passion we both share for women’s equality around the world, I look forward to the meaningful change this partnership will spark for our athletes, sport and fans,” Lawler said.
Hologic’s senior vice president for global human resources and corporate communications, Lisa Hellmann, also said the partnership was developed after Hologic’s approval of WTA’s handling of tennis in China following Peng Shuai’s disappearance from the public view last year.
After Chinese tennis player, Peng Shuai, disappeared last year following her accusing a former Chinese government figure of sexual assault, WTA suspended all ten of its events in China, forfeiting around one third of the WTA’s annual revenue.
Hellman said WTA’s decision to do this in support of its players was a founding factor in the partnership deal.
“I would consider it more a catalyst to the conversation than the deciding factor,” Hellman said.
The Hologic partnership will allow the tour to keep prize money equal with men at its top-level mandatory events and will improve prize money at other tournaments.
