The United States Polo Association® (USPA) and Greenwich Polo Club, in partnership with Town & Country magazine, are excited to present one of polo’s most prestigious competitions in the United States, the East Coast Open (#EastCoastOpen). Sanctioned by the USPA, the National Governing Body of the sport of polo, the 2015 East Coast Open will be held at Greenwich Polo Club. The public matches will take place over three consecutive Sundays in Greenwich, CT and in close proximity to New York City where the first polo match was played in the United States more than 125 years ago.
“We’re very happy that the USPA and Greenwich Polo Club are joining to host the 2015 East Coast Open, which we believe will be a spectacular finish to the summer season of high-goal polo that starts in June”
The 20-goal tournament will commence on Sunday, August 23, 2015, continue on Sunday, August 30, 2015 and conclude with the Championship Match on Sunday, September 6, 2015. The USPA will live stream the Semi-Finals on ChukkerTV, and NBC Sports Network will air a 60-minute National broadcast of the East Coast Open Final on September 13, 2015. The growth in the popularity of polo has grown consistently in the past two years, which is reflected in a nearly 20% increase in viewership since its first broadcast on NBC SN in 2013.
“Not only does 2015 mark the 125th Anniversary of the USPA, it is a key opportunity to bring attention to the sport with this historically-rich and now nationally-televised tournament, taking place at one of the top East Coast polo clubs,” said USPA CEO Peter Rizzo. “The East Coast Open joins the likes of The US Open Polo Championship® as one of our signature and most celebrated events of the year.”
The East Coast Open was founded in Rhode Island in 1905 and was played until World War I. It had a renaissance starting in 1978 when Donald Little, then President of the USPA and Captain of the Myopia Polo Club, resurrected the tournament and brought it to Myopia Polo Club in South Hamilton, Massachusetts where it was played until the early 2000’s. At its height 13 teams played in the 14-20 goal tournament, including many 10 goal players such as Mariano Aguerre, Mike Azzaro, Tommy Biddle, and Gonzalo Pieres, Sr. who inspired a lot of today’s players to pick up their mallets.
“We’re very happy that the USPA and Greenwich Polo Club are joining to host the 2015 East Coast Open, which we believe will be a spectacular finish to the summer season of high-goal polo that starts in June,” said Peter M. Brant, Founder of Greenwich Polo Club. “We expect this year’s East Coast Open to draw the best high-goal players from around the globe to compete for the title and to have their names added to the Perry Cup. Fans will get to experience world-class polo played at a beautiful venue and for the first time, the tournament will stream live and culminate with a nationally televised broadcast.”
Presented in part with Town & Country magazine, the East Coast Open estimates attendance of 10,000 spectators; offering luxury brands a variety of marketing opportunities yielding high visibility in an elegant and social setting, and a unique opportunity to connect with one of the world’s oldest and most powerful sports.
Like Town & Country, Polo has a rich history steeped in tradition that continues to stand the test of time. The magazine will host its own beautifully outfitted VIP hospitality tent, under which guests will enjoy an unprecedented experience while mixing and mingling with some of the world’s top luxury brands. East Coast Open tickets will go on sale on May 15, 2015 and will be available for purchase at: GreenwichPoloClub.com/ECO.