United States Polo Association & U.S. Polo Assn. Announce CBS Sports Returns as Television Partner for 2018 U.S Open Polo Championship®

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., April 19, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The United States Polo Association (USPA), and its official apparel brand U.S. Polo Assn. today announced that CBS Sports will return as the broadcast partner for the 2018 U.S. Open Polo Championship® at the International Polo Club Palm Beach (IPC) in Wellington, Florida. The game between Defending Champions Valiente, led by #1 rated player Adolfo Cambiaso and DRF, led by 10-goal player Hilario Ulloa will be the capstone game to watch for the 2018 polo season in the United States.

The world's top players will be competing for the most prestigious polo trophy in the United States, the U.S Open. CBS will return as the television partner of the tournament for the second straight year, and will broadcast coverage of the championship on Sunday, April 29 at 2 p.m. EDT. Last year, the U.S. Open experienced its largest ever measured broadcast viewership for the tournament.

"Bringing the excitement of the most sought-after trophy in the United States to a national sports audience and our consumers is part of our strategic plan to increase interest in the sport and expand our branded content offering," said J. Michael Prince, the CEO of USPA Global Licensing Inc. (USPAGL), which manages the U.S. Polo Assn. brand. "CBS's expertise in presenting world class sporting events makes them the perfect partner for this initiative."

"We're thrilled that CBS Sports will be joining us again for a great broadcast that will carry this tournament to a larger audience," said Robert Puetz, CEO of the USPA. "There is simply no polo tournament that is more important or historic in the U.S., and we are excited to be able to share the final leg of this year's Triple Crown of Polo with sports fans everywhere."

The U.S. Open Polo tournament, which spans 114 years of history, was first played in 1904 in Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx in New York City, and was a highlight of the sporting season. Since 2004, the U.S. Open, which serves as the apex of the Florida high-goal polo season, has been played at its current home at IPC.  Attracting fans and enthusiasts from all over the world, IPC is expecting that more than 15,000 spectators will attend the championship this year, making the U.S. Open one of the largest global polo events.

"The U.S. Open (#usopenpolo) is the most prominent event in the U.S. Triple Crown of Polo, and is the one tournament that every high goal team wants to win," said David Cummings, Chairman of USPAGL. "Battling it out on the Championship Field at IPC is like playing for the Super Bowl or the World Series. Thanks to our strategic partnership with CBS Sports, more people than ever before can be part of the excitement."

About the United States Polo Association®

@PoloAssociation

The U.S. Polo Association (USPA) was organized and exists for the purposes of promoting the game of polo, coordinating the activities of its member clubs and registered players, arranging and supervising polo tournaments, competitions and games, and providing rules, handicaps and conditions for those tournaments, competitions and games, including the safety and welfare of participants and mounts.

USPA was founded in 1890, making it the second oldest sports governing body in the United States. USPA is currently comprised of almost 300 member clubs with thousands of individual playing members, and oversees more than 40 national annual tournaments. For more information, please visit http://www.uspolo.org. 

About U.S. Polo Assn.

@uspoloassn 

U.S. Polo Assn. is the official brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA), the nonprofit governing body for the sport of polo in the United States. With worldwide distribution through 1,000 mono-branded stores, independent retail, department stores and ecommerce, the U.S. Polo Assn. brand offers apparel for men, women and children, as well as accessories, footwear, travel and home goods in approximately 150 countries worldwide.

USPA Global Licensing Inc. (USPAGL) is the for-profit subsidiary of the USPA, and the exclusive worldwide licensor for the USPA's global licensing program. USPAGL is the steward of the USPA's intellectual properties, providing the sport with a long-term source of revenue. Additionally, USPAGL produces global broadcasts to bring polo to consumers and fan around the world.

To enjoy the full experience of the 2018 U.S. Open Polo Championship, take home a piece of the sport at uspoloassn.com/champion.

For more information, please contact Shannon Stilson, Senior Director of Marketing [email protected], 904-466-8492 and visit http://www.uspolo.org.

SOURCE USPA Global Licensing Inc.