Dubai Desert Classic is now one of the most prominent events on the DP World Tour. It uses a strategy that lures top professional golfers with lucrative guaranteed appearance fees.
Viktor Hovland won the event in 2022. The website lists Slync.io, the current corporate sponsor. After Omega’s 12-year tenure with the event ended in 2021, the San Francisco logistics technology company Slync.io took over.
According to Slync.io’s releases, the firm combines industry expertise, digital platforms, and software solutions to address global logistics challenges.
According to Forbes.com, the shocking story about the 100 employees of the firm shows that Chris Kirchner, the CEO of the new upstart company, is enjoying a good life. This includes a participation in the JP McManus ProAm and a membership to the Vaquero Golf Club.
The following story is a summary:
Kirchner purchased a $15 million private jet, joined a Texas country club, bought luxury cars, and invested in a European tech startup. He also attempted to purchase the English football team Derby County over the last 18 months.
Chris Kirchner hits his tee shot on the 10th hole of Day Two at Adare Manor, Limerick, Ireland, July 05, 2022. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images).
Forbes reports that Kirchner was selling TVs to Best Buy a few years back. However, his rocket-like rise up to the top of the tech world enabled him to enjoy a new lifestyle, including Vaquero membership. According to Golfweek’s Best state-by-state rankings, Vaquero is one of the most prestigious private courses in Texas.
According to one report, the cost of initiation at this club, which includes a Tom Fazio-designed golf course, is $175,000 and annual dues are over $15,000
Slync was also aligned to pro golfers and the Dallas Stars, National Hockey League.
Forbes article:
Kirchner, who was financed by Goldman, sought to turn his passion for golf and sport into a business that would benefit Slync. Despite the apparent lack of a connection between a logistics tech company with the PGA, Slync started sponsoring professional golfers like Justin Rose or Albane Valenzuela. Slync signed a multimillion-dollar sponsorship deal with the NHL ice hockey club Dallas Stars. Kirchner explained to employees that the sponsorships were part the company’s new strategy for going to market. Kirchner told one employee that executives don’t buy software through websites. “They purchase it based upon relationships and experiences.” (Rose Valanzuela, the Dallas Stars and Rose did not respond to a request of comment.
According to an employee, he hosted a group at the Vaquero in the summer of 2021 where he boasted about playing golf with Saudi princes, and flying to exotic locations on his private jet. One former employee said that the lifestyle he led was “not real”.
According to the article, Slync will pay $40 million over five year to become the chief sponsor for the Dubai Desert Classic. While Kirchner is allegedly selling his jet and other assets to fund the sale, the sponsorship of the tournament seems to have been firmly enshrined. Slync will be receiving TV commercials as part of the sponsorship.
Kirchner stated to GulfNews.com that the sponsorship deal for the Dubai Desert Classic was quickly negotiated.
Kirchner stated in January that “We got into golf last year with our first player endorsements” and that he enjoyed the game personally on an amateur basis. Kirchner added, “I wanted to get into sponsorship and be part of this community.” That was the first step. Then, we had casual conversations about former sponsors quitting and if the Dubai Desert Classic would interest us. The Masters last April was the turning point. We discovered that this event would be a Rolex Series event, making it one of the most elite events on DP World Tour.
You can find the rest of this story here.
By: Tim Schmitt
Title: Report: A tech CEO/golf nut is living the high life (even sponsoring the Dubai Desert Classic) while his employees go without pay
Sourced From: golfweek.usatoday.com/2022/07/21/dubai-desert-classic-slync-ceo/
Published Date: Thu, 21 Jul 2022 16:00:12 +0000
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