Callaway Golf To Sponsor Super Bowl PreGame and Telecast

Callaway Golf and CBS Sports have reached an agreement that establishes the golf equipment manufacturer as a presenting sponsor of Sunday’s Super Bowl Today pregame show. It’s the first time a stand-alone golf manufacturer has purchased such rights.

The 30-minute sponsorship includes a Callaway-themed opening interstitial to introduce the company’s presence, as well as product and branding exposure on the CBS set throughout the show. Phil Mickelson, Callaway's primary pitchman, is slated to appear in an additional segment to run during the sponsored programming.

Callaway will also use the Super Bowl platform to debut 90 seconds of commercial time that will feature the company’s focus on technological innovation and its 2010 products. Terms of the partnership were not disclosed.

Super Bowl pregame sponsorships are regarded as an aggressive and effective way for marketers to reach a substantial mainstream audience that culminates as the game’s kickoff approaches. Last year’s Super Bowl pregame show drew a Household rating/share of 11.6/24, and featured a viewership of 21 million during the 5:00 – 5:30 p.m time slot.

“We understand the pent-up desire for cutting-edge products that has been building through the recession as consumer spending declined,” said Jeff Colton, Senior Vice President, U.S., Callaway Golf. “Our 2010 product line featuring Diablo Edge has been generating a great deal of excitement within the golf industry, and we’re looking forward to introducing it to a mainstream audience.”

[Via thegolfchannel.com]