PGA TOUR event honored for “Best Marketing Initiative” and
“Best Tournament Sales” for 2022-23 season
Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida – The RBC Canadian Open was honoured with two awards by the PGA TOUR at the TOUR’s Tournament Meetings on December 7. The RBC Canadian Open, held in 2023 at Oakdale Country Club in Toronto, earned the awards for “Best Marketing Initiative” and “Best Tournament Sales.”
This is the first time since the 2018-19 season the PGA TOUR has presented a complete roster of tournament awards, due to challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
“On behalf of the PGA TOUR, I am thrilled to congratulate the RBC Canadian Open on being recognized with two ‘Best Of’ awards for the 2022-23 PGA TOUR Season,” said PGA TOUR Chief Competitions Officer Tyler Dennis. “After several years of challenges related to the pandemic and its impacts on event operations, I’m pleased we are able to once again celebrate the incredible work all PGA TOUR tournaments have accomplished to elevate the experience for players and fans. Our award winners should be extremely proud to be recognized as top among their peers on TOUR.”
The award for “Best Marketing Initiative” recognizes the tournament that best develops and executes a marketing campaign designed to increase ticket sales and attendance.
The RBC Canadian Open carried forward the momentum from its record-breaking year in 2022 with their 2023 campaign, “Summer’s Open.” The initiative positioned the RBC Canadian Open as not only a premier professional sporting event, but a diverse entertainment experience that offers value to golf fans and non-golf fans alike. The campaign had four key objectives: build excitement among golf fans leveraging Rory McIlroy’s potential three-peat (including a first-ever championship ring); generate buzz among casual Canadian sports fans by using Canadian TOUR players to tease potential historic win; profile breadth of entertainment offerings to drive purchase intent among attendees that are not sports fans; and capitalize on key viral moments in golf to drive reach.
“Best Tournament Sales” evaluates current year contracted sales across Sales Support Initiative categories (pro-am, hospitality, and sponsorship/advertising) compared to previous year overall performance and is equally weighted based on year-over-year growth by percentage and dollars.
Canada’s national open had its best sales year to date in 2023 and grew tremendously year-over-year, thanks to the incredible support from the people and business community of Toronto. Significant hospitality product was added to keep up with generated demand, with Golf Canada building over 200,000 square feet of hospitality along the Oakdale property, including a new double-decker structure for the first time. On the golf course, 11 viewing decks and bleachers were spread out across the property and there were over 50 activations for fans to engage in. Corporate hospitality and the pro-am was completely sold out.
New in 2023, the team launched the Gallery Fast Pass, a premium ticket offering that allowed fans to purchase preferred reserved viewing areas. Gallery Fast Pass ticket holders save time with access to the premium hospitality gate, expedited concessions and the premium 1904 Club viewing structure.
The RBC Canadian Open continues to boast some of the most unique and robust sponsorship activations on the PGA TOUR, anchored by “The Rink.” “The Rink” was back on Oakdale’s 14th hole and was completely enclosed for the first time. A fan experience combining Canada’s most popular pastimes – golf and hockey – “The Rink” earned the TOUR award for “Best in Class Element” in 2018. The area is modeled after an ice hockey rink, complete with hockey boards lining the hole, upgraded bleachers, and viewing decks, while featuring volunteer gallery management dressed as referees.
“We are honoured to receive both PGA TOUR awards in recognition for the success of the 2023 RBC Canadian Open. A sincere thank you as well to the membership at Oakdale Golf and Country Club for their significant support in getting behind the tournament in a major way,” said RBC Canadian Open Tournament Director Bryan Crawford. “We are extremely appreciative of RBC and our incredible network of partners along with the agency support of Wasserman and others for their continued elevation of the RBC Canadian Open into a true festival experience with innovative fan activations such as Hilton on the Green, The ScoreBet Hole Zero, Audi Performance Lab, The Fare Way featuring the Keg and so many more. Congratulations to all the award winners, and we look forward to hosting another great RBC Canadian Open in 2024 at the Hamilton Golf and Country Club.”
The 2024 RBC Canadian Open, won this year by Canadian Nick Taylor, returns to Hamilton Golf & Country Club in Hamilton, Ontario, May 27-June 2.
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