For Immediate Release                                                                                                                                         August 21, 2018

 

Greenwich Polo Club Announces the

2018 East Coast Open, August 26 – September 9

 

All Matches will be live-streamed on USPA Polo Network

 

Greenwich, CT – Greenwich Polo Club, in partnership with Audi of America and its 29 Tri-State Audi Dealers, are proud to present the 2018 East Coast Open. This year’s high-goal polo tournament will take place August 26^th – September 9^th at Greenwich Polo Club. Considered to be one of the most prestigious polo competitions in the United States, the East Coast Open features top polo teams and polo players competing in the 20-goal tournament. 

 

“This is our fourteenth year hosting the East Coast Open and it just keeps getting bigger and better every year,” said Peter Brant, Founder of Greenwich Polo Club. “The tournament showcases the top level of polo and it has grown in popularity thanks to the support of team owners, our sponsors and fans.” 

 

Public games will take place over three consecutive Sundays and are expected to draw more than 11,000 spectators to Greenwich Polo Club. The United States Polo Association® (USPA), the national governing body for the sport of polo, will live stream all tournament games on the USPA Polo Network at uspolo.org/video and on USPA’s Facebook page, Twitter and YouTube (check out USPOLO.ORG for tournament information, schedule and updates). In 2015, 2016 and 2017, the East Coast Open had more than 34,000 views. The 2018 matches are expected to have more than 50,000 views.

 

“The USPA is excited to once again host the prestigious 2018 East Coast Open along with the celebrated Greenwich Polo Club,” said USPA CEO Robert Puetz. “The strength of Greenwich as a USPA Member Club is evident with the success and depth of their organization. This is reflected in the quality of polo played at the club, and the number of players, spectators and fans they attract each year. The East Coast Open is an esteemed tournament that the Greenwich Polo Club has made a success for thirteen years, and we look forward to the highly-anticipated competition.”

 

Since 1978, the Perry Trophy has symbolized the East Coast Open championship. Winners of this high-goal tournament have laid claim to this ornate symbol of excellence, tradition and sportsmanship. The East Coast Open continuously attracts national and international fanfare and the world’s leading polo players, who will soon descend on the town of Greenwich, in the hopes of etching their names on the tournament’s trophy.

 

The East Coast Open will kick off at Shreve, Crump & Low’s showcase gallery at 125 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich, CT on August 24. Approximately 150 polo players, USPA officials and guests will attend the private cocktail event which will feature an official draw to decide each polo team’s placement in the historic tournament. The public is invited to meet and greet polo players and to take photos with them, as well as Audi Sport display vehicles in front of Shreve, Crump & Low, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. A number of complimentary tickets for the East Coast Open will be distributed to fans during the event.

 

On August 26, September 2 , Audi of America will extend access for lawn seating and exclusive parking area to the first 50 Audi owners to register, and will host an exclusive VIP event on September 9^th.

 

"We are proud to return as a sponsor for this year's East Coast Open tournament in partnership with Greenwich Polo Club," said Nathalie Carpenter, Audi of America Eastern Region Marketing Manager.  "The tournament remains an exciting touchpoint for Audi and a unique platform to engage with fans of the sport."

 

 

The 2018 tournament partners also include Societe Generale, Saks Fifth Avenue, Hublot, Barbados, The Macallan, Ketel One Botanical, and U.S. Polo Assn.

 

The East Coast Open was founded at Myopia Polo Club in South Hamilton, Massachusetts by Donald V. Little Sr., then Vice President of the USPA. The tournament was played at Myopia Polo Club until the early 2000s. At its height, 13 teams played in the tournament, including many 10-goal players who inspired a number of today’s players to pick up their mallets.

 

The best ticket to the match is the new Players’ Lounge VIP at Greenwich Polo Club, co-hosted by Connecticut Cottages & Gardens and furnished by Design Within Reach. The Players’ Lounge will feature a meet and greet with polo players, live music, premium cash bar with The Cup Bearer and exclusive tastings each Sunday. Tickets start at $150 with access for two guests ($40 each additional guest per car) to the Players’ Lounge with VIP parking, bistro and open lawn seating, and much more.

Each polo Sunday from 1-3 p.m, fans may also have the opportunity to tour The Brant Foundation Art Study Center, dedicated to promoting the education and appreciation of contemporary art and design, which is located adjacent to the field and is featuring an exhibition of works by Joe Bradley, Oscar Tuazon, and Michael Williams, on view from May – October 2018.

Just because the match ends doesn’t mean the fun has to! The Veuve Clicquot After Polo will keep the good times rolling with live music and DJs each polo Sunday at 6PM by the Pony Bar.

Greenwich Polo Club continues to elevate the polo experience to make every match an event to remember. Whether fans choose to picnic on the sidelines or go the VIP route by purchasing Players’ Lounge, grandstand boxes or private cabanas, there are plenty of options to delight even the most discerning guests. Fans can enjoy delicacies from gourmet food trucks and The Cup Bearer will be hosting the Pony Bar and creating the ultimate polo bar experience at the Players’ Lounge.

 

Tickets may be purchased online and range from $40 per car for general admission East Lawn seating, $60 per car for Grandstand Bleacher seating, $100 for West lawn seating, $150 for Players’ Lounge VIP, $300 for box seats (seats 4) and $600 for private cabanas (4 car passes). Gates open at 1:00 p.m. and matches start at 3:00 p.m. The field address is 1 Hurlingham Drive, Greenwich, CT 06831. Dogs on leashes are allowed.

 

About the United States Polo Association®  

The U.S. Polo Association was organized and exists for the purposes of promoting the game of polo, coordinating the activities of its Member Clubs and Registered Players, arranging and supervising polo tournaments, competitions and games, and providing rules, handicaps, and conditions for those tournaments, competitions, and games including the safety and welfare of participants and mounts.

 

Founded in 1890, the United States Polo Association (USPA) is the national governing body for the sport of polo. USPA is currently comprised of almost 300 member clubs with thousands of individual members, and oversees 40 national tournaments. For more information, please visit uspolo.org.          

 

About Greenwich Polo Club
Established in 1981 by Peter Brant, Greenwich Polo Club is the venue for high-goal polo during the summer season in the U.S. Nestled in the beautiful backcountry of Greenwich, CT and internationally recognized for its rosters of legendary teams and players, Greenwich Polo Club hosts public USPA high-goal polo matches on Sundays throughout the summer. For more information about Greenwich Polo Club including, images, player information, and team statistics, please visit greenwichpoloclub.com, follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook and Instagram. #GreenwichPolo is the official hashtag.

 
ABOUT AUDI OF AMERICA
Audi of America, Inc. and its U.S. dealers offer a full line of German-engineered luxury vehicles. AUDI AG is among the most successful luxury automotive brands, delivering about 1.878 million vehicles globally in 2017. In the U.S., Audi of America sold nearly 227,000 vehicles in 2017 and broke company sales records for the eighth straight year. Visit audiusa.com or media.audiusa.com for more information regarding Audi vehicles and business topics.

 

About U.S. Polo Assn.  
U.S. Polo Assn. is the official brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA). With a global footprint of $1.6B and worldwide distribution through 1,000 U.S. Polo Assn. retail stores, department stores, independent retailers and ecommerce, U.S. Polo Assn. offers apparel for men, women and children, as well as accessories, footwear, travel and home goods in over 150 countries worldwide.

 

###