OCEAN CITY — Resort tourism officials this week agreed to sign on to a new promotional and marketing opportunity during the annual White Marlin Open (WMO) this summer.
During Monday’s Tourism Committee meeting, Fish in OC promoter Scott Lenox pitched the concept for the 2018 WMO in August. Fish in OC and its partners produce the live broadcast of the WMO each day during the tournament with action at the scale, interviews with anglers and captains, tournament officials and local elected officials.
This year, however, the live broadcast will feature a half-hour pre-game show of sorts each day during the tournament before the scale at host Harbour Island opens for business. Lenox presented opportunities for local businesses or organizations, or in this case the Town of Ocean City, to be the named sponsor for the pre-game live broadcasts each day.
He explained the live broadcast is viewed by hundreds of thousands online and by countless others through remote broadcasts at businesses around the resort each day during the tournament. For a $5,000 fee, the sponsors will be announced as that day’s show and their logos will be displayed prominently during the telecasts.
Lenox said because Ocean City’s tourism department already contributes $4,000 in other partnerships with Fish in OC during the WMO, it could piggyback on the daily pregame show sponsorship for $3,000, or a total commitment of $7,000. During Monday’s meeting, committee members agreed the proposal represented a great marketing opportunity and agreed to fund the $7,000.
