Ryder Cup signs up SAP as worldwide partner until 2027

Software giant SAP has signed up as a worldwide partner for the next two Ryder Cup tournaments and will use its suite of technologies to enhance the fan experience for the biennial team-based golf competition.

Contract:

• Deal covers 2025 match at Bethpage in New York and 2027 match at Adare Manor in Ireland
• SAP will have brand visibility on-course, through the Ryder Cup’s digital services and social media accounts, and through television advertising
• Cloud-based data platforms will unify fan data into a single profile, enabling personalised experiences at scale across digital and marketing channels
• SAP’s technology will also harmonise business and customer data, visualising it in SAP Analytics Cloud
• Organisers hope deeper understanding of audience behaviour will enable deeper engagement with fans across the world and provide foundation for artificial intelligence (AI) innovation

Context:

The Ryder Cup, which sees professionals from the US and Europe compete alongside and against each other, is arguably the most high-profile tournament in golf. However, delivering an event of this scale to more than 200,000 fans in attendance and a potential television audience of hundreds of millions is a significant challenge.

However, Ryder Cup organisers have become more experienced in creating highly capable temporary IT environments, digital marketing operations, and media and broadcast services that deliver a profitable, efficient and fan-focused experience every two years.

This partnership with SAP will help the Ryder Cup make sense of its data, maximising revenue opportunities and fan satisfaction for what is golf’s golden opportunity to put itself in the shop window and enter the mainstream consciousness.

Meanwhile, SAP will gain valuable exposure to an affluent audience, joining a roster of worldwide partners that also includes BMW, Capgemini and Rolex.  

Comment:

“The Ryder Cup has developed a strong track record for utilising new technologies to bring fans closer to the action and make their experience as seamless as possible – whether on-site at the event, or joining the millions of people watching at home,” said Guy Kinnings, European Tour chief executive. “We are always on the hunt for new technology partners who can make golf’s greatest team contest even better and SAP’s solutions can do just that. In return, as a Worldwide Partner, we will provide them with a world-class platform to tell their story to an increasingly diverse fan base that spans the globe.”

“At SAP, we believe in the power of technology to enhance the fan experience, and this partnership allows us to bring that vision to life for millions of golf fans around the globe,” added Christian Klein, chief executive of SAP. “By integrating our customer data and engagement solutions, we will create a more personalised, connected, and seamless experience – both on and off the course. We look forward to helping the Ryder Cup set a new standard for fan engagement.”

Credit: https://www.sportspro.com/news/sap-ryder-cup-2027-tech-sponsor-may-2025/