i/o Data Centers Sponsoring PGA Tour Event

Tee time meets uptime next month, when i/o Data Centers will be a featured sponsor of the annual PGA Tour stop in its home Phoenix market, the Waste Management Phoenix Open at the fabled TPC Scottsdale Stadium Course. As part of its agreement, the data center and colocation services provider will sponsor the i/o Data Centers Pro-Am, to be played Monday, Feb. 22 on the TPC Scottsdale Stadium Course. The company will also be the title sponsor of the i/o Data Centers Corporate Village, which is located near the 17th green and 18th tee.

At first glance, a golf tournament might seem an odd choice as a marketing vehicle for data center services. In fact, IBM has been targeting golf audiences with its IT-related marketing messages for years as a key sponsor of advertising for TV broadcasts of major PGA events.

The PGA tournament hosted by the Thunderbirds also aligns with the focus on community engagement at i/o Data Centers, which operates facilities in both Phoenix and Scottsdale. A portion of i/o's sponsorship dollars will be donated to Phoenix Children's Hospital.

"We're really excited to have i/o Data Centers on board as a sponsor of the 2010 FBR Open," said Tournament Chairman David Rauch. "Not only is i/o stepping to the plate in a big way to sponsor one of our pro-ams, our corporate village and an interactive teaching center, but they also share The Thunderbirds' passion for raising money for charity, in this case Phoenix Children's Hospital."

"i/o Data Centers is pleased to work with the Thunderbirds as they host this renowned event and looks forward to raising funds for Phoenix Children's Hospital," said i/o CEO George Slessman. "We felt this was a unique opportunity to contribute to the community and be a part of one of the PGA Tour's greatest venues."

The Waste Management Phoenix Open (previously known as the FBR Open is the best-attended golf tournament in the world and has raised more than $65.9 million for charities. In 1997 it was the site of one of golf's most memorable moments, when a 21-year-old Tiger Woods hit a hole in one before a huge crowd at the 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale.