R&A expands Two Circles partnership in ten-year renewal

The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews has inked a ten-year extension of its partnership with sports marketing agency Two Circles.

Through the expanded agreement, Two Circles will aim to drive growth across ticketing, and fan experiences at The Open.

The longstanding collaboration between the two parties dates back to 2017, during which time the iconic major gold championship has set new numerous attendance records.

The R&A will continue to leverage the London-headquartered agency’s expertise in the fields of product innovation, ticketing, premium experience marketing sales, and operational execution.

The 2024 Open saw a 50% increase in tickets sold compared to 2016, the last time the event was staged at Royal Troon in Scotland.

Gareth Balch, Chief Executive & Co-Founder, Two Circles, said, “We are incredibly excited to continue delivering growth with The R&A, driven by more fan-first insight than ever.

“Over the past seven years working together, we have seen significant increases in attendance and – just as importantly – brilliant fan engagement and experiences,” said Gareth Balch, CEO and Co-Founder of Two Circles.

“By leveraging our combined expertise, we aim to continue expanding golf’s audience further while enhancing the experience for fans year-on-year.”

Martin Slumbers, CEO of The R&A, added, “This innovative long-term collaboration will help to ensure that The Open remains at the forefront of global sporting events and enable us to harness this success to ensure golf is thriving for many years to come.”

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