Come the end of the 2012 season, Sony Ericsson will be ending its sponsorship of the WTA tour. Since 2005, Sony Ericsson has been the sponsor of the WTA tour with a six-year contract worth $88 million. The contract was later extended to 2012, after which Sony Ericsson will bow out.

The WTA will soon be on the lookout for a new sponsor;

 2012 will be the eighth and final year of the partnership. They have been a great partner and we will miss them. 

Sony Ericsson PR manager Graciela Pineda explained that

 this was a strategic decision based on the evolution of the business and the brand. 

It’s not hard to imagine that part of the pullback from Sony is related to the full buyout of the partnership between Sony and Ericsson in which Sony will buy the remaining 50% of the joint venture. Seeing how the full buyout will cost Sony billions of dollars and the fact that Sony is behind its rivals like Apple and Samsung, Sony needs to save every penny it can and instead use it in R&D and proper marketing of their devices.

Discuss:

Do you think it’s a good idea that Sony Ericsson pulled out of the sponsorship?

[Via Sacramento Bee]