AEGON PULLS PLUG ON SPONSORSHIP OF SALTMAN BROTHERS
FROM THE SPORT.SCOTSMAN.COM WEBSITE
http://sport.scotsman.com/
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Aegon, the Edinburgh-based life insurance and pensions company, has ended its four-year sponsorship of the three Saltman brothers but denied the move has been made because of the bad publicity caused by the ban handed to Elliot when he was found guilty of "cheating" by the European Tour.
The decision, which has been made just over 12 months after a new three-year deal was struck, is described as a "mutual agreement" and follows Aegon carrying out a review that has resulted in job losses and cost-cutting of 25 per cent across its business.
It also comes, however, in the wake of Elliot being handed a three-month ban by the European Tour after he was found guilty of a "serious breach" of the rules during a Challenge Tour event in Russia last September.
While continuing to maintain his innocence, which he claimed was backed up after he passed a "lie-detector" test, the 28-year-old decided against lodging an appeal, which George O'Grady, the European Tour chief executive, confirmed recently could have resulted in a longer ban if unsuccessful.
However, it is no secret that there were concerns over how the incident would affect Elliot commercially, with sponsors known to be sensitive to being attached to "bad news" stories, as Tiger Woods found out when he was dumped by some of his backers in the wake of the scandal that unfolded in his private life.
Elliot, the oldest of the brothers, and Lloyd, a former Walker Cup player who won the Siver Medal as leading amateur in the 2005 Open Championship at St Andrews, have been sponsored by Aegon since 2007, with Zack joining "Team Saltman" two years later when he also turned professional.
TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE BY MARTIN DEMPSTER, BUY A COPY OF
"THE SCOTSMAN" TODAY OR LOG ON TO THE SPORT.SCOTSMAN.COM
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http://sport.scotsman.com/
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Aegon, the Edinburgh-based life insurance and pensions company, has ended its four-year sponsorship of the three Saltman brothers but denied the move has been made because of the bad publicity caused by the ban handed to Elliot when he was found guilty of "cheating" by the European Tour.
The decision, which has been made just over 12 months after a new three-year deal was struck, is described as a "mutual agreement" and follows Aegon carrying out a review that has resulted in job losses and cost-cutting of 25 per cent across its business.
It also comes, however, in the wake of Elliot being handed a three-month ban by the European Tour after he was found guilty of a "serious breach" of the rules during a Challenge Tour event in Russia last September.
While continuing to maintain his innocence, which he claimed was backed up after he passed a "lie-detector" test, the 28-year-old decided against lodging an appeal, which George O'Grady, the European Tour chief executive, confirmed recently could have resulted in a longer ban if unsuccessful.
However, it is no secret that there were concerns over how the incident would affect Elliot commercially, with sponsors known to be sensitive to being attached to "bad news" stories, as Tiger Woods found out when he was dumped by some of his backers in the wake of the scandal that unfolded in his private life.
Elliot, the oldest of the brothers, and Lloyd, a former Walker Cup player who won the Siver Medal as leading amateur in the 2005 Open Championship at St Andrews, have been sponsored by Aegon since 2007, with Zack joining "Team Saltman" two years later when he also turned professional.
TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE BY MARTIN DEMPSTER, BUY A COPY OF
"THE SCOTSMAN" TODAY OR LOG ON TO THE SPORT.SCOTSMAN.COM
WEBSITE
CLICK HERE
Labels: PRO GOLF
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Friday, March 04, 2011
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