Opinion: Businesses back Price Cutter tourney

Without fail, a multitude of businesses step up to the plate, or tee box, and hit a home run, no, that’s hole in one, for area charities.

Once again this year, more than 400 businesses and organizations are getting involved, from Alltel to Longhorn Grill and O’Reilly Auto Parts to White River Valley Electric Cooperative. There’s a good mix of national, regional and local companies.

Businesses can seemingly sponsor any aspect of the tournament, dropping between $500 (for a banner) and $60,000 (lead sponsorships), excluding the more than $300,000 title sponsorship that belongs to Ramey/Price Cutter/Smitty’s Supermarkets. For instance, there’s a tee box sponsor: O&S Trucking; a putting green sponsor: Artisan Construction; parking lot sponsors: Coryell Enterprises/TLC Properties and Hazelrigg Automotive; and even a cooler sponsor: naturally, Knight’s Heating and Cooling.

Oh, and the sponsors’ reception must have a sponsor. Coldwell Banker Vanguard, Realtors stepped up for that one.

Document Solutions is the tunnel sponsor. And Chesterfield Eye Works is the bridge sponsor. That’s right, tunnel and bridge sponsors. I told you, anything can be sponsored.

Why wouldn’t a business attach its name to such a good cause? Good publicity, good golf and good feelings surround this thing. Part of the Professional Golf Association-sanctioned Nationwide Tour, professional golfers hit the Highland Springs links each year. All told, the family of PGA tours, including the Nationwide Tour, has raised more than $1 billion since 1938, when the Palm Beach Invitational made the first donation of $10,000.

Price Cutter attached its name to the local tour as presenting sponsor seven years ago. Since then, according to tournament Director Jerald Andrews, nearly $4 million has been raised for Springfield-area charities – a staggering amount considering the previous nine years netted just more than $1 million for charity.

“Price Cutter’s involvement has solidified the business community,” said Todd Yearack, an event organizer with the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame since 1999. “Others want to align themselves.”

In 2005, the Price Cutter Charity Championship presented a record $629,764 to nearly 40 area charities. In other words, 38 cents of every dollar raised during the tournament, which costs nearly $2 million to run, went to charity.

Emily Fox, CEO of Discovery Center of Springfield, a tournament sponsor and recipient, said, “Any time these agencies can work together as they do in this tournament, (it) makes a big difference.”

Dr Pepper is the presenting sponsor, through a deal arranged with Price Cutter. There are 22 lead sponsors, many of which have their names on Pro-Am tournaments played throughout tournament week.

That said, it must be noted that Springfield Business Journal is missing from the sponsor’s list. We’re working on that.

Don’t Miss a Shot

Advertising firm Schilling Sellmeyer & Associates is again donating its creative juices to the tournament’s marketing campaign. The Don’t Miss a Shot campaign slug will appear on four billboards and six event posters, and it will carry a 30-second TV spot that the media previewed during a recent media breakfast to kick off tournament promotions. After the breakfast, I talked with Matt Sellmeyer about his company’s involvement four years’ running.

“We donate all of the promotions and advertising content around the tournament,” Sellmeyer said, declining to put a price tag on the work.

The 2006 campaign varies from the first three in that it leans on attendance and high-caliber golf rather than charity. For instance, the 2005 campaign was titled One Champion, Many Winners; 2004 was 15 Years of Giving Really Adds Up; and 2003 was Pro Golf, Pro Kids.

Sellmeyer said that the tournament has established its reputation of generosity, and organizers now want to recruit people to the event. The advertising message is that “this is the place to be” during the tournament dates, July 20-23, Sellmeyer said.

Attendance has been flat at around 40,000. “This theme will hopefully boost that up,” Sellmeyer said.

Another notable difference is the campaign’s modern appeal, especially in its lively and digitally enhanced TV spot and the supporting art work that will be auctioned off for charity.

Sellmeyer chose Springfield artist Matt Graif to create the tournament’s one-of-a-kind painting. Graif manipulated an eye-catching, somewhat abstract piece of a golfer’s follow-through shot. I hope it collects a big chunk of change for charity.

Event tickets are available for purchase at area Ramey/Price Cutter/Smitty’s Supermarkets and at participating McDonald’s restaurants.

Also, a variety of the 1,200 volunteer positions remain open. To request a volunteer application, call PCCC offices at (417) 887-3400.

Eric Olson is SBJ editor.[[In-content Ad]]