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BNP Paribas, tennis partner

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BNP Paribas has been deeply involved in tennis since 1971, when the bank set up a temporary branch in a trailer at Roland Garros stadium during the French Open tournament. In 1987, a permanent branch office was opened at the site.

The first partnership accord with the French Tennis Federation (FFT) was signed in 1973. This collaboration progressively extended beyond the French Open tournament, which began to welcome sponsors at the time. Building on these excellent foundations, the partners decided on a three-year, renewable agreement that made the bank the official sponsor of the event, with its logo on the backstops, and its colors gracing the uniforms of the ball boys and girls.

In making tennis a pivotal part of its communications strategy, the bank anticipated the tremendous popularity boom the sport would enjoy in the early 1980s. The contract with the Roland Garros/French Open tournament has been regularly renewed and ever-closer ties have been forged. BNP Paribas continues to be the bank of the FFT, providing support for the Federation's investments to renovate Roland Garros stadium. In 2000, BNP Paribas chose the Roland Garros/French Open tournament to unveil its new logo. The global impact of this Grand Slam event has been instrumental in promoting the brand created by the combination of BNP and Paribas.

BNP Paribas has deepened this partnership through a program to select the ball boys and girls who work at the tournament.

In 1986, the bank helped create and launch a major indoor winter tournament, the Open de Paris à Bercy, renamed the Paris Bercy Tennis Master Series in 2000. In 2002 under the terms of the new agreement signed between FFTand BNP Paribas, the tournament will be renamed "BNP PARIBAS MASTERS" starting November 2002.".

In addition to sponsoring these prestigious tournaments, BNP Paribas supports competition at every level, from children to professionals. The group has emerged as a major sponsor of tournaments for all categories of players in France - amateurs, pros, juniors and adults - including the "Pont des Générations" Challenge for juniors and the Handisport French Open.

BNP Paribas further extended its ties with tennis in 2001, becoming the main partner of the Women's International Tennis Tournaments in Nice and Strasbourg. The bank also provides local support for tennis schools in conjunction with the French Tennis Federation's "progressive tennis" initiative.

BNP Paribas is a natural partner for tennis at an international level, since the sport offers a vehicle to promote the group's image on a global basis and provides opportunities for targeted events in every region where it operates. The Davis Cup is an ideal partner in this regard. This is a universal, extremely popular event that draws teams led by top professional players from the world over.

On February 7, 2001, BNP Paribas and the International Tennis Federation (ITF) signed a sponsorship agreement making the bank the Official Sponsor of the Davis Cup and then, as of 2002, the Title Sponsor of the tournament.

BNP Paribas has operations in 86 countries and all of the world's leading financial centers. The group's longstanding relationship with tennis makes it a natural partner to one of the rare sports played according to the same rules in every country, with universally recognized players. Most importantly, tennis embodies strong values embraced by BNP Paribas, anchored in competition, performance, fair play, openness, diversity and the pleasures of playing.

1973 - 2003: 30 years of service