Angus Council is set to remove Scotland’s top female golfer, Catriona Matthew, from a £25,000-a-year role promoting golf in Carnoustie.
Despite a review of her first 12 months in the role showing a positive return in advertising exposure, the director of infrastructure services, Eric Lowson, has recommended councillors do not renew her contract as a Carnoustie Country brand ambassador when they meet today.
He said although the sponsorship had been ”good value for money” a source of funding for another year had not been found due to ”increasing budget constraints”.
Matthew’s contract, which ran from April last year, saw her display the Carnoustie Country logo on her chest for all her worldwide tournaments, including the Ricoh Women’s British Open at Carnoustie. She also spent two days in Carnoustie to promote golf tourism in April this year.
The net cost to the council of the contract was £17,000 after £4,000 contributions from Carnoustie Golf Links Management Committee and the European Regional Development Fund.
Mr Lowson said television exposure for Matthew had appeared at 24 tournaments during the year and media exposure at the British Open alone had been valued at £24,500.
He said: ”Catriona has worn the Carnoustie Country logo on the chest position on her golfwear at 24 major tournaments across the world since April 2011.
”During the period of her contract, Catriona, as the top Scot in women’s golf, increasingly performed well in her tournaments throughout the world and attracted increased media coverage.
”IMG, organisers of the Ricoh Women’s British Open 2011, reported that the Carnoustie Country logo on Catriona’s shirt received 2,040 seconds of direct TV exposure around the world during the event. The direct equivalent advertising value of this specific exposure was £24,500.
”The top markets for the TV value were US, UK, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan and Canada. During her various TV interviews by UK and overseas stations at the Ricoh Women’s British Open, she was specifically asked by the commentators on her role as Carnoustie Country brand ambassador which assisted in promoting our destination.”
Mr Lowson noted that her win at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational held in November last year was viewed by almost 125 million households in 162 different countries and that she was also interviewed by ESPN and the Golf Channel last month as part of their Sybase Match Play Championship coverage in New Jersey.
The value of media coverage for her two promotional days in Carnoustie was valued at £9,712.
Mr Lowson said there had been a ”good return” on the first year’s investment but falling council income resulted in his recommendation that the sponsorship deal not be renewed.
He continued: ”Taking into account the TV exposure gained by Catriona during the Ricoh Women’s British Open 2011 and the media exposure of the two service days, the total equivalent advertising value of the Carnoustie Country brand ambassador package resulted in a total of at least £34,212.
”This does not include any values attributed to the global media coverage secured during her 2011 international tournaments, which would be significant.
”On that basis there can be little doubt that the council’s net contribution to the sponsorship of Catriona in 2011/12 represents good value for money.
”Budget savings implemented in 2012/13 have reduced the availability of income and other budget pressures stemming from a drop in both property income and modern apprentice income have resulted in it not being possible to identify a source of funding to continue the ambassadorial package from the economic development revenue budget.”
Mr Lowson said Matthew carried out the role expected of her with ”great diligence.”
”On that basis in the event that the council decides not to proceed with the year’s extension of the ambassador package it is considered appropriate that the council recognise her contribution by writing to confirm that she carried out the role of Carnoustie Country ambassador excellently.”See Friday’s Courier for more