New Title Sponsor For ToC
Bear Stearns Takes Title
of Top USA Squash Tournament
New York City-based financial leader Bear Stearns has agreed to become Title
Sponsor of the 2004 Tournament of Champions.
Bear Stearns, a leading investment banking, securities trading and brokerage
firm, has signed on as lead sponsor of the USA's largest and most
prestigious professional squash championship. The agreement officially
changes the name of the 74-year-old tournament to the "Bear Stearns
Tournament of Champions."
The Tournament of Champions is entering its seventh year as Grand Central
Terminal's only annual world class sporting event and is scheduled for
February 21-26.
The main attraction of the 2004 event is a 5 Star PSA World Tour ranking
tournament for men featuring $60,000 in prize money and more than 56 of the
world's best players. Newly crowned World #1 Thierry Lincou from France is
top seed, while challengers include current World Champion Amr Shabana from
Egypt (#5) and old rivals Peter Nicol from England (#3) and Jonathon Power
from Canada (#7). John White from Scotland (#2) is seeded to face Lincou in
the final, while 2003 Qatar champion Lee Beachill from England makes his
debut at #4 and 2002 World Champion David Palmer of Australia carries his #6
seeding and world ranking into the draw. Australian Joe Kneipp (#10) rounds
out the lead group.
Promoter John Nimick of Event Engine, Inc. comments on the Title Sponsor
agreement, "The addition of Bear Stearns to the Tournament of Champions is
an extremely exciting development. Our goal since starting new Title Sponsor
discussions in mid-2003 was to secure a locally-based partner who would
invest in making this unique event both a leader in the world of
professional squash and a better recognized part of the New York City sports
scene. Bear Stearns' support bolsters the momentum squash is enjoying in the
USA while offering the long term opportunity of re-developing the ToC into
the sport's top global event."
"The Tournament of Champions is one of the premier squash events in the
world and it is being held in a magnificent venue in the heart of New York
City," said Sam Molinaro, Bear Stearns Chief Financial Officer and Executive
Vice President. "We are proud to be associated with this great event and we
look forward to an exciting and competitive tournament."
The 2004 tournament also features the Betteridge Jewlers USSRA Teaching Pro
division for fulltime coaches and teachers of the sport who are based in the
USA, and the Grand Open, a 250-person, multi-flight amateur event played at
clubs throughout the city. Pro matches are played in a temporary squash
arena in Grand Central's Vanderbilt Hall featuring a see-through, glass
walled portable squash court and reserved seating for 500.
Squash was recently named the #1 "Healthiest Sport" by Forbes magazine.
There are 350,000 squash players in the USA and 15 million worldwide
according to the World Squash Federation.
Beth Rasin
Ticket information
and session times:
Zerline Goodman 718.488.6262
-or- tocsquash@verizon.net
Program advertising
and media enquiries:
Beth Rasin 212.213.8248
Event and sponsorship info:
John Nimick 617.731.6874.
Grand Central Terminal info:
Dawn Banket 212.340.3406.
