Pacific Life Open becomes 'BNP Paribas Open'

By Patti Myers • The Desert Sun • January 14, 2009

The BNP Paribas Open is the new name of the Indian Wells tennis tournament.

The 34th annual desert event, formerly known as the Pacific Life Open and considered the Grand Slam of the West, was renamed today in an announcement by BNP Paribas and members of the tournament committee in an interview with The Desert Sun.

The fifth-largest attended professional tennis tournament in the world to be held March 9-22 at Indian Wells Tennis Garden secured BNP Paribas as the new title sponsor for up to 10 years.

"During this partnership, we believe we will guide our tournament to greater heights, both in terms of attendance and global appeal,'' said tournament chairman Charlie Pasarell. "For us to have what is the biggest and most supportive sponsor in tennis and to have such an international company is a big feather in our cap."

BNP Paribas, a global financial network headquartered in Paris, agreed to sponsor the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Premier tournament for five years with another five-year option.

"It’s a statement of the confidence of both BNP Paribas in the sport of tennis and our tennis tournament,'' said Raymond Moore, the longtime co-owner of the event with Pasarell. "To have a long term commitment with one of the 10 largest banks in the world and one of the 10 safest banks in the world in the global economy is something extremely exciting."

In making the announcement, Pasarell and Moore were joined by tournament organizers Steve Simon, Dee Dee Felich and Peggy Michel.

In a statement, BNP Paribas chief executive officer Baudouin Prot, said the company is committed to growing the company brand on an international level.

"We are deeply committed to this relationship and we believe that the sponsorship of tennis events is part and parcel of the strategy to make the BNP Paribas brand internationally recognized. We are very excited to be joining the Indian Wells family as the title sponsor of a major tennis event in the United States where we have been present and growing for more than three decades."

For more on this story and BNP Paribas read Thursday's Desert Sun.

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