The Ryder Cup – golf’s most electric team spectacle – is doubling down on digital innovation. Global software powerhouse SAP has signed on as a worldwide partner for the 2025 and 2027 editions of the event, bringing its suite of customer experience, cloud, and analytics technologies to power a new era of fan-focused engagement.
Spanning Bethpage Black in New York (2025) to Adare Manor in Ireland (2027), the deal is more than a sponsorship — it’s a digital transformation strategy.
What the Partnership Includes:
- On-site & digital brand presence: SAP will be visible across course signage, social media activations, digital platforms, and broadcast integrations.
- Fan data unification: SAP will use its cloud solutions to merge fan behavior across touchpoints into unified profiles, enabling personalised communication at scale.
- SAP Analytics Cloud: Powers real-time visualisation of business and customer data, helping Ryder Cup organisers make agile, informed decisions.
- AI-ready architecture: The data infrastructure is built to fuel future artificial intelligence integrations — from automated content to predictive fan engagement.
Why It Matters
The Ryder Cup isn’t just a golf event; it’s a global media property reaching over 200,000 attendees and hundreds of millions of TV viewers. In a sport often criticised for lagging in digital adoption, this partnership signals a shift.
SAP’s integration doesn’t just enhance the event’s logistics. It brings deep fan understanding, content personalisation, and commercial scalability — core pillars for modern sports IP looking to thrive in the attention economy.
This isn’t about golf. It’s about what happens when a heritage sport starts thinking like a tech brand.
Reimagining Legacy Events as Scalable Digital Products
SAP x Ryder Cup partnership is a masterclass in how legacy sports can modernise without alienating tradition.
- Adopt a Modular Data Stack: Use partners like SAP, Salesforce, or Adobe to create a single fan view across ticketing, media consumption, retail, and engagement data.
- Build a Personalisation Engine: Segment fans not just by demographics but by intent and behavior to enable tailored experiences, whether at the venue or on mobile.
- Monetise the Journey, Not Just the Event: With a unified fan profile, commercial partners can activate before, during, and after the tournament — generating year-round value.
- Leverage Premium Events as Innovation Labs: Use high-visibility moments like the Ryder Cup to pilot AI, content automation, and predictive audience strategies.
Events like the Ryder Cup are no longer just about what happens on the course — they are media laboratories for fan data, brand storytelling, and global reach. Your tech stack is now as important as your player lineup.
Let’s Build the Future of Fan Experience, Together
Whether you’re a federation, event owner, or commercial rights holder — we can help you design, implement, and monetise your next-generation fan engagement ecosystem.
