Sony Ericsson will continue its sponsorship of the WTA Tour but in a more limited way, reports SportsBusiness Journal.
According to the publication, the telecommunications company will no long be the tour's title sponsor and will reduce its annual monetary commitment by 40 percent, but will remain the lead financial backer of the WTA.
The deal, which runs through 2012 and supersedes the 10 months left to run on the existing contract, will see Sony Ericsson keep its patch deal on players' shirts and its logo on the sides of the net at WTA tournaments. However, it will drop its name from the "Sony Ericsson WTA Tour" and the -year-end "Sony Ericsson Championships," and receive reduced sponsor tickets and other entitlements as a result of its reduced commitment.
WTA CEO Stacey Allaster told Sportsbusiness Journal she was "thrilled" the company had decided to stay on. Given the troubled economy and Sony Ericcson's recent financial troubles, it had been perceived that the sponsorship might be dropped altogether.