Apr 02, 2019
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (April 2, 2019) — USPA Global Licensing Inc. (USPAGL), the official licensing arm and national broadcaster of the United States Polo Association (USPA), announced that U.S. Polo Assn. will sponsor Gladiator Polo for 2019 as it returns to South Florida, for the very busy winter polo season. The games will feature four teams; Palm Beach, New York, Los Angeles and Dublin. All teams will have some of the best professional polo players from around the world competing for bragging rights and prize money. U.S. Polo Assn. will serve as the official apparel sponsor with all games being held in the newly constructed U.S. Polo Assn. Coliseum at International Polo Club Palm Beach (IPC).
This increasingly popular format occurs at night under the lights in an arena. Additionally, the games are fast paced with fewer players and shorter periods required. The Gladiator Polo season for South Florida will run through April 13, 2019 with games being played on Friday and Saturday nights.
“We couldn’t be more excited about Gladiator Polo, a dynamic, adrenaline-fueled addition to the world of professional polo,” said J. Michael Prince, USPAGL President & CEO. “This sponsorship opportunity will not only allow us to help push this new platform even further into the global spotlight, it also builds U.S. Polo Assn. brand awareness among an entirely new potential customer base. As the official apparel outfitter, we’re getting U.S. Polo Assn. apparel in front of a new audience.”
As owner of International Polo Club Palm Beach, the location for all 2019 winter season Gladiator Polo™ games, Wellington Equestrian Partners CEO Mark Bellissimo is equally passionate on the arena polo sport’s prospects. “I’ve been shocked – in a good way – at the speed with which Gladiator Polo has taken off,” Bellissimo said. “Partnering with U.S. Polo Assn. on this sponsorship highlights the commitment of the traditional polo community to support this emerging sport, which is poised for mass market engagement. Right now, it’s looking like the sky’s the limit with Gladiator Polo.”
“We’re impressed by the level of fan-engagement with Gladiator Polo,” said Robert Puetz, CEO of USPA. “And by partnering with IPC to bring it under the U.S. Polo Assn. Coliseum roof this year, we’re infusing this fast-paced, incredibly exciting sport with core USPA values including high safety standards, professional umpiring and amazing talent of players.”
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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