Rolex Discontinues Title Sponsorship Of Kentucky Three-Day Event

[riderboy]

I think the sponsorship thing has a half life of it’s own. Badminton was sponsored by Whitbread for many years before Mitsubishi took it over.

[TequilaMockingbird]

@Janet

I may be misremembering, but isn’t there another watch company (Longines maybe) that has an overall sponsorship deal with FEI. I seem to remember that the conflict between Longines (if that is who it was) FEI sponsorship deal and Rolex’s K3DE sponsorship deal was a major “fly in the ointment”. That may be part of the motivation.

The conflict between Rolex and Longines is part of the issue that took KHP out of the running for the 2018 WEG.

http://eventingnation.com/commercial-conflict-played-critical-role-in-deciding-2018-weg-host/

[slp2]

Also found it interesting that the Australian 3 Day Event (also known as Adelaide) just announced that it is being renamed the Mitsubishi Motors International 3 Day Event. Just saw it on my FB newsfeed this morning. So apparently, Mitsubishi is now going to be the title sponsor for that 4-star event.

[PaintedHunter]

I think this will be the new name: https://www.facebook.com/RidingWithScissors/photos/a.563295960427370.1073741829.559099700846996/1366779850078973/?type=3&theater

[ShandyB]

@JenJ

wait … Rolex is a watch company?

When i hear Rolex, I think Kentucky 3day event. I think I may have forgotten that there are watches named Rolex.

For a few weeks after Rolex, my phone (on which I’d livestreamed Rolex) kept suggesting websites/news articles/etc. related to watches. No, I don’t care about the latest watch models! (And I’m definitely not buying one!)

[FitToBeTied]

It will be interesting to see what happens here. I would think without a title sponsor it would be near impossible to keep the event going as it is.

[riderboy]

[quote=“Pa![](ntedHunter,post:44,topic:432838”]

I think this will be the new name: https://www.facebook.com/RidingWithScissors/photos/a.563295960427370.1073741829.559099700846996/1366779850078973/?type=3&theater

[/quote]

LOL! The 4* formerly known as Rolex!
[IMG]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/922/6FEaN9.jpg)

[Equibrit]

@FitToBeTied

It will be interesting to see what happens here. I would think without a title sponsor it would be near impossible to keep the event going as it is.

https://kentuckythreedayevent.com/sponsors/

[yventer]

@Janet

I may be misremembering, but isn’t there another watch company (Longines maybe) that has an overall sponsorship deal with FEI. I seem to remember that the conflict between Longines (if that is who it was) FEI sponsorship deal and Rolex’s K3DE sponsorship deal was a major “fly in the ointment”. That may be part of the motivation.

That was what I was remembering as well. So I wonder if part of what is going on at Kentucky is so they can run some of the FEI competitions that they couldn’t before, due to conflict of sponsors (Rolex vs Longines)

[retreadeventer]

Potential list of replacement: Yum Brands, Land Rover, who else?

[vineyridge]

@retreadeventer

Potential list of replacement: Yum Brands, Land Rover, who else?

The logical replacement would be Toyota, which has a factory in Georgetown. But then they would lose Land Rover.

Maybe Alltech?

Does anyone have any idea how much money Rolex was paying annually?

[findeight]

Alltech is long gone…after being a driver of improvements to the park, backing public funding and bond issues and making some long term promises.

Park is still busy weekends and there’s plenty of shows booked. But not much to attract the general, non horsey public in a state with lower then average financial demographics, big reason the breeding farms are located there is low land and labor costs. Large part of the state is more Butcher Hollow then Three Chimneys.

Have to say there’s little to interest the general public to venture back to see the shows going on. It’s hot, dusty, no shaded seating and no explanation of what’s going on. Once overheard it described as a bunch of snotty rich girls playing with ponies by one dad with a tourist sticker on his shirt to his youngster. Like or not, that’s the impression the sport can give when there’s no explanation or information about what’s going on.

There’s also more competition for the tourist dollar and attracting I 75 corrider transient traffic. The Ark museum is just up the road and the Creation Museum less then an hour further up, they are drawing very well and a better fit for the local demographics regardless of how you may feel about them and no hint of elitism.

Hope they can refocus at the Park.

BTW, I do NOT endorse those two museum/attractions. But they are there and their parking lots are full.

[amb]

@vineyridge

The logical replacement would be Toyota, which has a factory in Georgetown. But then they would lose Land Rover.

Maybe Alltech?

Does anyone have any idea how much money Rolex was paying annually?

The stadium is $1.4M over ten years, and that agreement run through 2019. (Alltech is paying $2M for their arena.) The event title sponsorship is separate, though, and all the coverage I’ve seen has had the people involved explicitly declining to comment.

That seems weird to me–given that it’s a state-owned venue I’d have expected the books to be open.

[Equibrit]

http://www.kyhorsepark.com/tags/kent…ark-commission

Thursday, April 20, 2017
2:00 p.m. EDT
Lower Level of the International Museum of the Horse, Kentucky Horse Park

1. Welcome and Call to Order from Chair – Tandy Patrick
2. Approval of Minutes of March 16 Commission Meeting
3. Consideration of proposed Ground Lease with the United States Equestrian Federation
4. Discussion regarding Strategic Plan
5. Consideration of proposed Response of the Commission to Report from Kentucky State Auditor issued on 2/22/17
6. New Business
   NEXT FULL COMMISSION MEETING: THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 2017, 3:00 P.M. IN NORTH EXHIBIT HALL, ALLTECH ARENA

[vineyridge]

@amb

The stadium is $1.4M over ten years, and that agreement run through 2019. (Alltech is paying $2M for their arena.) The event title sponsorship is separate, though, and all the coverage I’ve seen has had the people involved explicitly declining to comment.

That seems weird to me–given that it’s a state-owned venue I’d have expected the books to be open.

EEI is not a public organization, but it is supposed to be non-profit. I don’t have the faintest clue what books non-profits have to make publicly available.

[Equibrit]

Interesting article;
http://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article134212699.html

[amb]

@vineyridge

EEI is not a public organization, but it is supposed to be non-profit. I don’t have the faintest clue what books non-profits have to make publicly available.

US non-profits generally have to file an annual public IRS form 990, which gives you a decent idea of the shape of the proceedings if not every detail; the one for EEI from 2014 ( http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/610/610899468/610899468_201509_990.pdf
) indicates $4M in gross revenue, of which $1.3M is contributions, gifts, and grants. (Also $2M in admissions and entry fees, $380k from the vendor fair, and I think $290k from selling swag.) I can’t even begin to guess at the breakdown of the $1.3M (how much from Rolex vs. somebody else), but it’s interesting (well, to me anyway) to get a sense of the scale of the thing overall.

[Equibrit]

Always Interesting to see what other interests the voting members have; https://app.sos.ky.gov/ftshow/(S(u2mhcxvyjh1sdph4pmttqsjl))/default.aspx?path=ftsearch&id=0055534&ct=09&cs=99999

[pegasusmom]

@Impractical Horsewoman

I admit I’m pretty “shook” (as the kids say). Especially since the name “Rolex” is what the event has always been called since I’ve been following the sport, versus the “Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials,” which is always abbreviated as “Badminton.” Or the “Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials” which is always called “Burghley.”

I hope they find a good, supportive sponsor…with a good name!

I remember when it was the Remy Martin Burghley Horse Trials. Then it was the Pedigree Chum Burghley Horse Trials.

[GotMyPony]

@vineyridge

They’ve signed on for the Grand Slam until something like 2020.

It’s interesting that the main Rolex Equestrianism sponsorship page already has deleted the Lexington 4* but continues to mention the Eventing Grand Slam. The only other equestrian sponsorship that they show in North America is the Central Park Horse Show. Most of their other sponsorships, other than Aachen, are in show jumping.

Maybe they’ve decided to ditch eventing completely but to fulfill their Grand Slam commitment.

Odd that Rolex would have been an issue for KHP getting WEG - Tryon International got WEG and Rolex is TIEC’s main sponsor - TIEC is actually the only place in the world with 4 big Rolex time pieces on the venue’s main cupola. And it’s no secret TIEC wants a 4**** event someday. Possibly stay tuned…?