SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – January 29 , 2019 –  Celebrating its 10th year as title sponsor of the Waste Management Phoenix Open, Waste Management has signed an early renewal that will continue its commitment to the tournament for another decade, through 2030.

The new agreement, which also covers Waste Management’s marketing relationship with the PGA TOUR as the Official Environmental Waste Services Provider, was announced today by PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan and Waste Management President and CEO Jim Fish at TPC Scottsdale, site of this week’s 84th Waste Management Phoenix Open. It replaces a 10-year deal that started with the 2016 tournament.

“We love this event and atmosphere, how it strengthens our brand and most importantly, the platform it provides Waste Management to lead by example in showcasing zero waste environmental solutions and inspiring fans to make a positive difference for our planet,” Fish said. “Together with The Thunderbirds, we are very proud of what we’ve accomplished for the benefit of the community and the environment over the last 10 years. We look forward to making an even greater impact in the decade to come.”

Over the past 10 years, Waste Management has used the tournament as a platform to educate and implement various environmental and sustainability initiatives, most notably, the Zero Waste Challenge. Since the Challenge was introduced in 2013, Waste Management has diverted 100 percent of tournament waste to its next best use through recycling, composting, donation, reuse and creating energy. This is particularly impressive for what is easily the highest attended golf tournament on TOUR with well over a half-million fans each year.

“Waste Management has done a phenomenal job of fully integrating into the tournament and actively promoting sustainability through various green initiatives,” Monahan said. “The success of its partnership with the TOUR and tournament host The Thunderbirds over the past decade has led to numerous tournament and environmental awards, as well as an enviable record of charitable impact through the Waste Management Phoenix Open. We are excited and grateful that Jim Fish and Waste Management have made this renewed long-term commitment to the tournament.”     

The Zero Waste success immediately resulted in the Waste Management Phoenix Open becoming the first PGA TOUR event to receive Gold Certification by the Council for Responsible Sport in 2014, the same year the tournament was named sports event of the year by the SportsBusiness Journal. Most recently, the tournament earned the Council for Responsible Sport’s highest designation as an Evergreen Inspire event in 2017 and 2018. The past two years also saw the tournament become the first two-time winner of the highest international award for sustainability in golf, being named “GEO Certified” by the Scotland-based GEO Foundation for its efforts to balance environmental impacts, conserve natural resources and benefit the local community.

Further, the 2018 Waste Management Phoenix Open was honored by the PGA TOUR for the third time in five years as the PGA TOUR “Tournament of the Year” and tied for “Most Fan-First Event.”

Regarding charity impact, The Thunderbirds have generated more than $68 million to benefit hundreds of charities since Waste Management became title sponsor. That includes a record $12.2 raised in 2018 alone, marking the fourth straight year of establishing a record for the tournament. Spanning the tournament’s 83-year history, more than $134 million has been donated to charities.

“We are excited about the future as we extend this great partnership with Waste Management for another 10 years,” said Carlos Sugich, Big Chief of The Thunderbirds. “Our partnership is one of the strongest on the PGA TOUR and proves a shared commitment to the game of golf, ongoing sustainability efforts at our event and benefiting children and families in need around our local communities.”

About Waste Management

Waste Management, based in Houston, Texas, is the leading provider of comprehensive waste management services in North America. Through its subsidiaries, the company provides collection, transfer, recycling and resource recovery, and disposal services. It is also a leading developer, operator and owner of landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States. The company’s customers include residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers throughout North America. To learn more information about Waste Management, visit www.wm.com or www.thinkgreen.com.

About The Thunderbirds

The Thunderbirds were founded in 1937 with the mission of promoting the Valley of the Sun through sports. The Thunderbirds consist of 55 “active” members and more than 285 “life” members.  In 2018 The Thunderbirds raised a record $12.2 million for charity from proceeds from last year’s tournament and have eclipsed $134 million in charitable giving since its inception in 1932.  For more information on The Thunderbirds or the 2019 Waste Management Phoenix Open, visit www.wmphoenixopen.com. 

About PGA TOUR

By showcasing golf’s greatest players, the PGA TOUR engages, inspires and positively impacts our fans, partners and communities worldwide.

The PGA TOUR co-sanctions more than 130 tournaments on the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, Web.com Tour, PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada and PGA TOUR Series-China. Members on the PGA TOUR represent the world’s best players, hailing from 25 countries (88 members are from outside the United States). Worldwide, PGA TOUR tournaments are broadcast to more than 1 billion households in 226 countries and territories in 23 languages. Virtually all tournaments are organized as non-profit organizations to maximize charitable giving. In 2018, tournaments across all Tours generated a record of $190 million for local and national charitable organizations, bringing the all-time total to $2.84 billion.

The PGA TOUR’s web site is PGATOUR.COM, the No. 1 site in golf, and the organization is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

Waste Management
Janette Micelli, 602.579.6152
jmicelli@wm.com

Waste Management Phoenix Open
Ryan Woodcock, 480.766.1221
woody@wmphoenixopen.com

PGA TOUR
Chris Smith, 904.273.3379
csmith@pgatourhq.com