When Stephen Curry launched the Underrated Golf Tour, he had one goal: to promote inclusivity in the sport. Five years later, it has become a thriving space for aspiring golfers. Junior Championships – despite becoming increasingly popular – often pose financial barriers for young kids and teenagers. But Curry’s golf tour provides free accommodation and takes care of the travel cost to tournaments hosted in elite courses.

No surprise that it has become extremely popular over the years. In fact, Underrated Golf Tour has traveled to the UK  as well. Its popularity and immense growth have also positioned itself in a lucrative spot to attract major corporate sponsorships. Brands across different industries are viewing it as an opportunity to reach out to a younger, and more diverse generation of golfers. Here’s an in-depth look at why and how major brands may invest in this growing movement.

Why Brands Are Interested in Underrated Golf

Providing equal opportunities and prompting inclusivity is the cornerstone of Steph Currey’s Underrated Golf Tour. Brands also look to sponsor tournaments that provide them with the scope for community building.

They want to associate their names with entities that have a positive social impact. Stephen Curry’s Underrated Golf Tour is in the prime position to tick all the boxes.

Diversity & Inclusion Focus:

A study by Heritage Foundation has found that 485 of the Fortune 500 companies have taken DEI initiatives in the past year. Sponsoring Underrated Golf, a tour championing DEI causes, allows them to fuel business growth as well as be part of a greater movement.

Reaching Gen Z & Young Millennials through Underrated Golf:

Secondly, attaching their name to the Underrated Golf Tour will allow them to find a wider audience. Traditionally, golf audiences are older.  For instance, in the PGA Tour, 52% of their audience is over 55. Whereas, Curry’s Tour is focused on a much younger generation. And brands are increasingly trying to target teenager because it allows them to align with their values and aspirations.

Influence of Stephen Curry:

The cherry on top is, of course, Curry’s name. The four-time NBA champion is one of the most marketable athletes in the world. Back in 2016, when UnderArmour extended the partnership with Curry for another eight years, reports revealed that the shoe sales went up by 40% in that quarter. In fact, the ‘Curry One’ played a big part in the $153M generated from selling shoes.

Quite naturally brands will be looking forward to partnering with the Underrated Tour. While Stephen Curry’s pet project has already garnered enough bigwigs (KMPG, Under Armour, PGA of America, etc), there are still different avenues where the Underrated Tour can look to get more sponsors.

Potential Categories for Major Sponsorships in Underrated Golf

Beyond traditional golf brands, Curry’s League will provide value to large brands across different industries. Here are some instances where Underrated Golf can provide more value:

A. Sports & Apparel Brands

Under Armour has already partnered with Stephen Curry’s golf project. As has Callaway. But let’s not rule out other apparel and equipment giants from moving in. The biggest beneficiaries will obviously be the kids who are in the league. The fledgling tour provides the brands with a pool of young talents that they can reach out to, and take a similar gamble as Nike took with Tiger Woods or Under Armour took with Stephen Curry.

B. Airlines & Travel Companies

A Globaldata report from 2023 shared that airlines are now spending $990M in sports sponsorship, Recently, the PGA Tour extended its partnership with United Airlines. LIV Golf, on the other hand, shook hands with Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s national career, for a multi-year partnership. Similarly, United Airlines has once again partnered with Underrated Golf Tour’s UK chapter. Another similar partnership like this on this side of the Atlantic might be in the offing.

C. Tech & Gaming Companies

Gaming and IT giants like Microsoft, Apple, EA Sports, Meta, Twitch, and YouTube can look at Underrated as the next destination for partnerships. On the other hand, golf gaming is booming—EA Sports’ PGA Tour 2K25 has already turned heads with its initial announcement. Whereas, Garmin and Fitbit can become official fitness sponsors. So, IT and gaming brands can gain more from leveraging a youth-focused tournament. As can YouTube and Twitch, which might even become the official streaming partners.

D. Beverage & Energy Drink Brands

Beverage brands (soft drinks) like Gatorade, BodyArmor, and Coca-Cola can become the official hydration or refreshment partners for the Underrated Golf. Gatorade already has a footprint in golf with their past ties with Tiger Woods. Whereas, Coca-Cola extended its tie-up with the PGA Tour only last year. Meanwhile, for brands like Red Bull and Monster Energy, Underrated Golf is a marketing opportunity a la extreme sports to draw in young audiences.

E. Financial Services & Scholarships

Lastly, financial institutions can extend their golf sponsorship to Underrated Tour. They can support scholarships, mentorship programs, and financial literacy initiatives for young golfers. American Express, Mastercard, Chase, Goldman Sachs, Capital One, US Bank, and others have deep ties with golf. As Underrated Golf Tour goes global, leading financial institutions are likely to partner with Curry’s golf tour as well.

Sponsorship Activation: How Brands Can Engage with Underrated Golf

Of course, these brands won’t just slap their logos on banners and stop. It’s about integrating the name with the product and what it represents. This means in the coming years, one of the leading brands can become a title sponsor or presenting sponsor of a tournament. It will give them a global reach – Underrated Basketball has reached Japan and found Rakuten as its sponsor. Similarly, Underrated Golf has touched on the UK for the second time.

It won’t be surprising if Curry has visions of taking his nascent league for budding golfers to deeper pockets in Asia. South Korea and Japan are hotbeds of emerging talents. Whereas, Thailand, China, and to a certain extent, India are emerging as a talent pool of LPGA pros. So, as the Underrated Golf Tour grows in scale and scope, its worth for sponsors will only go up.

Interestingly, the National Golf Foundation data suggests 6.8M recreational golfers fall in the 18-34 years age bracket. It further states youth,  female, Hispanic, and black participation has increased by 48, 41, 25, and 123 percent respectively. So with Underrated Golf Tour, brands have a versatile audience in the right age group. Needless to say, with millions of dollars in sponsorship potential, the Underrated Golf Tour is set to become a corporate marketing goldmine—and a game-changer for the future of golf.