Meyer: Bridgestone shows support where it really counts

I have to admit I was a bit saddened when Bridgestone in July ended its 16-year run as a title sponsor of professional golf tournaments at the iconic Firestone Country Club in Akron.

My personal memories of professional golf at Firestone go back to my childhood. My Uncle Richard Meyer was a career engineer at Firestone, and each year the company would give employees tickets to the golf tournament, which back then was the American Golf Classic.

Uncle Richard normally gave us tickets for the Saturday round, and I was an autograph collector at the time. My autograph book still sports the signatures of such legends as Tom Watson, Hale Irwin and even Arnold Palmer. More recently, I played a few rounds at the course and, while the results weren't always pretty, I did get a legitimate par of the No. 16 "Monster," the South Course's signature hole.

Bridgestone's involvement with the Professional Golf Association and Firestone Country Club began in 2006 when it took over as title sponsor of the World Golf Championships tournament. I covered the press conference when Mark Emkes, then CEO of Bridgestone Americas, announced the sponsorship deal.

It had been more than 20 years at the time since Firestone—prior to its acquisition by Bridgestone—had sold the country club. But it still seemed right for Bridgestone to sponsor a prestigious event at the course that bears the Firestone name. Plus, it was a smart marketing tool to tie together efforts to promote its tires and the premium Bridgestone-brand golf balls it also produces in the U.S.

When the PGA, in a move to appease one of its top sponsors (Federal-Express), said in 2018 it was moving the World Golf Championship event to Memphis, Bridgestone still did its best to keep professional golf going in Akron, sponsoring the PGA Senior Players Championship that the course landed. It was a nice effort to keep the association alive, but there's no doubt the crowds, the TV ratings and the exposure Bridgestone received paled in comparison to the WGC event.

Now Bridgestone is exiting the title sponsor role—it will keep a smaller "founding partner" sponsorship—but the Nashville, Tenn.-based tire and rubber product maker will continue to support the Akron community in ways that are much more significant.

In June, Bridgestone opened its $21 million race tire manufacturing center. The facility employs 60 and will produce the 25,000 Firestone Firehawk tires that Bridgestone supplies to the NTT IndyCar Series each racing season.

The first tire facility built in Akron in more than 70 years sports the refurbished Firestone sign that sat atop the Firestone Plant One building for more than a century. The company also is set to open a new tire test track this fall on the adjacent campus that includes a research building and—the biggest gem of all—the Americas Technology Center. The ATC just celebrated the 10th anniversary of its opening, and will be the hub of R&D where the company seeks to develop the materials and tires that will allow Bridgestone to supply the automotive needs of the future.

Yes, the golf sponsorship was nice. But when it comes down to it, these assets are by far the better way to show support for the community.

Meyer is editor of Rubber News and doesn’t golf nearly as much as he’d like these days. Golf invitations may be sent to [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @bmeyerRPN.