Pilot Pen ending partnership with tennis tournament after next year

Pilot Pen Tennis seeking new sponsor

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Pilot Pen Tennis at Yale is seeking a new title sponsor for the 2011 tournament and beyond.

Pilot Pen Corporation, entering its 15th year as the title sponsor, will end its partnership with the tournament after the 2010 event. Company officials called the move a difficult decision caused by the recession.

Tournament director Anne Worcester says Pilot Pen’s long-term support of the tournament helped grow the sport in the Northeast and put the company in a strong position to attract a new sponsor.

Title sponsor benefits include naming rights and extensive brand exposure.

The 2009 Pilot Pen, won by Caroline Wozniacki and Fernando Verdasco, drew nearly 80,000 spectators and was televised nationally for 16 hours on ESPN2 and CBS Sports.

ESPN is a unit of The Walt Disney Co.