Tag Archives: The Open

TSBA secures book deal between Opus and The R&A 
to celebrate The 150th Open

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Opus and The R&A has announced the planned publication and pre-order release of The Open Opus, which will celebrate the 150th playing of The Open and documents the history of the world’s oldest and most prestigious championship. The partnership was brokered by TSBA, The R&A’s licensing agent.

The Open Opus will chronicle the evolution of the Championship from its very first playing at Prestwick in 1860 to the present day, culminating in its 150th playing at St Andrews next year. It will include 150 of the ‘Greatest’ moments from The Open, such as when the late Seve Ballesteros sunk a 15-foot putt to win The Open at St Andrews in 1984, or ‘The Duel in the Sun’ at Turnberry in 1977, the head-to-head between Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson.

The 800+ page book will feature a wealth of action photography, including many images spanning one-metre wide and several two-metre wide gatefolds, accompanied by exclusively written essays and interviews with many of the sport’s icons and players.

The Limited Marquee Opus ‘Champions’ Edition of only 150 copies will run to 800 pages, each measuring 20 inches x 20 inches (45cm x 45cm) weighing in excess of 32kg (70lb). The Opus will be leather hand-bound, signed by many Champion Golfers, greats and icons, individually numbered and include special features and experiences.

Karl Fowler, Opus CEO, says: “To be able to tell this story in such large luxurious format, showing photographs and treasures from the 150 Greatest moments from the world’s most prestigious golf championship will hopefully make The Open Opus rather special. We look forward to making more announcements on this unique Opus project over the coming months as we lead up to The 150th Open next summer at St Andrews.”

Jo Edwards, Global Head of Licensing, TSBA Group, adds: “The 150th Open is a momentous occasion in the history of golf; The Open Opus will capture the greatest moments from the Championship in style. With exclusive content, stunning photography and quality presentation, coupled with the limited number of copies available, it will become a collector’s edition to cherish.”

Neil Armit, Chief Commercial Officer at The R&A, says: “The Open has produced many memorable moments throughout its revered history and we have worked closely with Opus to capture them in a very special publication that fans of the Championship will be able to enjoy and cherish.”

For licensing opportunities with The Open brand, contact enquiries@tsbagroup.com

TSBA Group signs five year deal with American Golf to launch new range inspired by The Open

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The TSBA Group has singed a five year partnership with American Golf to design and exclusively retail an officially licensed range of products inspired by The Open.

The core product range will include apparel – designed under American Golf’s Stromberg label – for men, women and children including polos, shorts, trousers, and waterproofs, as well as high-tech golfing accessories and equipment including tees, golf bags, luggage, and trolleys.

The range will officially launch in 2022, coinciding with The 150th Open and will feature designs celebrating the milestone in the Championship’s history. Since The R&A held the first tournament in 1860, The Open has seen more than 120 golfers lift the coveted Claret Jug after facing the challenges of The Open’s links courses.

The official range will be available exclusively via American Golf’s 96 stores across the UK and Republic of Ireland, along with its online store, and has been designed to appeal to golfers at every level.

Jo Edwards, head of global licensing at TSBA Group said: “We are delighted to have secured this long-term partnership between American Golf and The R&A. One of the key objectives of the licensing programme is to make The Open accessible to all, 365 days of the year; American Golf’s significant retail presence will help us in this goal with a range of The Open apparel, accessories and equipment for every golfer.”

Gary Favell, CEO at American Golf, added: “Partnering with The R&A on a new range of apparel, accessories and equipment for The Open is incredibly meaningful for us. 

“This range will provide golfers of every level with the kit intended to make them feel like they’re stepping out to play at the Open Championship – affordable without compromising on quality, we will ensure that we are behind every golfer.”

Scottish board game company lands Rangers FC, Chelsea FC and The Open licensing partnerships

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The Scottish board gaming company, Taxi Game, has launched a raft of new titles under its Taxi! trivia board game range, with the addition of three new sports-themed editions for Rangers FC, Chelsea FC, and The Open, as well as two destination-themed games for Liverpool and Greater Manchester.

The launch follows the recent success of the company’s Edinburgh, Glasgow, Celtic, Scottish Rugby and London edition that have sold with ‘rocketing success’ over the course of the year, as lockdown measures across the UK have forced families to take up new hobbies while spending more time at home.

Taxi Game has also stated that the games have found an appeal among fans who are currently missing live sport.

Each Taxi! trivia board game tests players’ knowledge of a particular destination or sport and includes alternative general knowledge questions. The better a player’s knowledge, the more tips they collect and the more money they earn.

The trivia game, which now boasts 18 different editions, was invented five years ago by former taxi driver Derek Carroll, who came up with the idea while sitting on the taxi rank one winter’s evening waiting on his next fare. The game is based on the working life of a taxi driver with players travelling around the board, picking up passengers,  receiving a ‘tip’ based on their ability to answer trivia questions about that city, sports team or general knowledge.

There are also opportunities to ‘sound off’ like a cabbie, a moment in the game in which players are given a subject to talk about for 30 seconds with six key words that you have to identify, the more included, the more they can earn.

Gordon Drysdale, one of the company’s founding directors, said: “As a result of the coronavirus lockdown, many people have gone back to basics, spending more time with their family and friends, and playing board games together has been a popular and fun past-time.

“Games such as Taxi! also impart useful facts and general knowledge about a destination or sports team which stays with you long after the game is finished. We have seen a significant rise in game sales in the last six months, and it’s fantastic to be adding to our existing range of games with the launch of these new editions.”

The benefits of board games appear to go beyond simply entertainment and connecting as a group. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have recently suggested that playing board games can help to improve thinking skills in the elderly, with a range of cognitive health benefits well into old age.

The Taxi Game company is now at what it calls “an exciting point in its development”, with a long line of clubs and different sports in the UK and further afield, looking to partner up in 2021.

The directors are now looking for further investment to help them realise the opportunities in front of them and are in discussions with potential investors.