Feb 10, 2017
Over 45 Sponsors Support The New League After Inaugural Game With NBC Sports Network Set to Rebroadcast February 23rd Gladiator Polo Event
New Gladiator Polo Divisions and National Tournaments Planned for 2018 for Children's, Adults, Women's, Colleges, and National City Leagues
Mark Bellissimo, Managing Partner of the International Equestrian Group (IEG), announced today that the International Polo Club Palm Beach (IPC) has dramatically expanded the 2017 winter Gladiator Polo™ League schedule.
“This does not displace our core interest in high-goal grass polo, but rather is a concerted effort to create a robust and critical gateway to bring more players, patrons, spectators and sponsors into the sport of polo.” – Mark Bellissimo
Bellissimo added, "We will commit significant resources to Gladiator Polo™ by creating both amateur and professional leagues that, over time, will provide substantial income and opportunities to both emerging and seasoned professionals and make the sport higher-profile and more accessible at all levels. In order to create a true professional sport, you need to create personalities for athletes, spectator enthusiasm, and strong sponsor support, as well as media interest. That is the only formula for long-term success in sport." Next week IPC will outline its high-goal grass polo initiative.
The U.S. Polo Assn. brand is the presenting sponsor of the 2017 league. David Cummings, CEO and President of USPA Global Licensing, commented, "I can't think of a better way for a spectator to get up close and personal to the action of the game and to really see the athletic ability of both the horse and rider. Gladiator Polo is hockey on horseback."
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The next high-goal arena game will feature Team Spiculus consisting of Sebastian Merlos (9), Juan Martin Zubia (7) and Pelon Escapite (7) versus Team Priscus, Julio Arellano (8), Jeff Hall (8) and Jeff Blake (7) on February 16, at the "Coliseum" otherwise known as the Equestrian Village on the corner of South Shore Boulevard and Pierson Road (13500 South Shore Boulevard). The winner will face Team Spartacus on February 23. The next four games of the Gladiator Polo™ League will be March 9, March 16, March 30 and the $50,000 Gladiator Polo™ Final on Saturday evening of April 8.
The VIP area for the initial Gladiator Polo™ event, hosted on January 26, was sold out. By request, there are new additions to the VIP hospitality offerings: the asado menu will be expanded to include more food options. While general admission and parking remain free to the public, a limited number of reserved tables can be purchased in the VIP Pavilion. Both asado and VIP table reservations can be purchased at http://bit.ly/http://bit.ly/2lrZcDo. A featured "After Party" at the newly created "Lion's Den" will feature DJ Maximus and will be sponsored by Pernod Ricard.
Gladiator Polo™ presented by U.S. Polo Assn. will add two new teams, Spiculus and Priscus, to join Spartacus and Crixus, as the four teams named after great Roman gladiators.
The Gladiator Polo™ teams each have a title sponsor, as well as 10 unique supporting sponsors that are presented on the sleeves of each jersey. The brands are listed below. All of the Gladiator Polo™ teams are ranked between 23 and 24 goals and feature the world's top polo professionals.
Spartacus Team, sponsored by Carol A. Sollak and Engel & Völkers:
Crixus Team, sponsored by U.S. Trust Bank of America Private Wealth Management:
Priscus Team, sponsored by Richard Schechter and Bainbridge Companies:
Spiculus Team, sponsored by Don Graves and Marshall & Sterling Insurance Equisport Division:
The Triple Crown Group will sponsor each game's MVP Award, as well as the league MVP Award. Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association is also a sponsor and media partner of the Gladiator Polo™ League. Gates for the event will open to the general public at 6:00pm ET while competition will start immediately at 7:00pm ET. The Tourist Development Council (TDC) of the Palm Beaches, in collaboration with the Palm Beach Sports Commission, Discover the Palm Beaches and the Palm Beach County Film and Television Commission, have partnered with the Wellington Equestrian Partners (WEP) to promote the Gladiator Polo™ League nationally, in an effort to make Wellington, Florida, the world headquarters of arena polo. The TDC entities will be the title sponsors of the NBC Sports Broadcast to air on February 28. The national broadcast of the February 23 game is scheduled for February 28 at 11:00pm ET following the Boston Bruins and Colorado Avalanche NHL hockey game. Other details of the announcement: - The children of the world's top polo players will contest a five-minute exhibition chukker at halftime of the February 16 event to showcase young polo talent, as well as draw attention to the future rising stars of the sport. The players will include the children of high-profile high-goal players including Poroto Cambiaso, son of Adolfo Cambiaso, Antonio Aguerre, son of Mariano Aguerre, Kristos Magrini, son of Matias Magrini, Hope Arellano, daughter of Julio Arellano, Hunter Azzaro, son of Mike Azzaro, and Santos Merlos, son of Sebastian Merlos. - Dan Farrell, former SVP of Corporate Sales at Charlotte Motor Speedway, one of the most financially successful NASCAR venues in the nation, has been hired as the Chief Revenue Officer in support of all Wellington, Tryon, and Colorado equestrian properties under the management of the Wellington Equestrian Partners (WEP), Tryon Equestrian Partners (TEP) and Colorado Equestrian Partners (CEP). - More Gladiator Polo™ demonstration events are planned in other cities, starting in the spring of 2017 and will be announced shortly. A Gladiator Polo™ City League will begin in the fall of 2017. - In addition to the Professional Division, the Gladiator Polo™ League will be developing a series of amateur arena leagues based out of Wellington, Florida, Tryon, North Carolina and Parker, Colorado, that will include children, adults, colleges, as well as women's leagues. - The International Polo Club (IPC) is creating a "Get Into Polo" initiative to promote interest and access to the sport by utilizing the newly created IPC Polo Academy and training simulators, as well as the new World Polo Training Center (WPTC) to be launched in the fall of 2017. - The Gladiator Polo™ League has signed a preferred provider and sponsorship agreement with Gladiator Sports (GS), based in Woodbridge, Virginia, a top manufacturer of polo equipment and tack. They will manufacture and provide the official game ball. Gladiator Sports does not have a corporate affiliation with the Gladiator Polo™ League. Bellissimo concluded, "I want to thank the USPA, U.S. Polo Assn., the inaugural players, patrons and all of the team and supporting sponsors whose commitment to this effort are greatly appreciated. With a fast-action, fan-friendly game and a successful NBC Sports Network broadcast, we are positioned to take the sport to a new level. I am confident that after a successful inaugural year, next year we will have a 12-week eight-team league and prize money in excess of $500,000 that will include team owners and a player draft." For sponsorship and partner requests, please contact Tannis Marley at tmarley@equestriansport.com. For information on Gladiator Polo™ League, teams and training contact Gates Gridley at jgridley@equestriansport.com. |
Effective Date: Saturday, May 16, 2020
The suspension of USPA Tournaments and Events will be lifted for USPA Member Clubs in locales where hosting polo matches and tournaments is permitted under applicable state and local laws, executive orders and similar decrees. The USPA Member Clubs in these locales are encouraged to follow all such requirements of their state and local authorities with respect to polo operations. In addition, we also encourage all USPA Member Clubs to take the precautions recommended by the CDC. We are preparing a detailed list of best practices for USPA Member Clubs as they return to hosting USPA Tournaments and Events and plan to circulate these guidelines within the next week. We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely and will notify you if we determine a different course of action is necessary.
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