PSA Hail New Super Series Finals Deal

Fears for the future of the PSA's Super Series Finals have been allayed by the revelation that the Professional Squash Association has concluded a seven-year agreement which will see the prestigious annual event re-launched later this year.

Gawain Briars, Chief Executive of the PSA, has struck the joint deal with Ziad Al-Turki, Vice-President of the ATCO Group, and Paul Walters, founder of the internationalSPORTgroup.

A five year agreement, with a first option for two further years, will provide a total minimum cash prize fund of US$675,000 over the period committed to the top eight players who annually qualify from the PSA Super Series roster of events throughout the season.

"Following lengthy negotiations, I am delighted to confirm that the recently cancelled Super Series Finals tournament has been taken up in fine style by the joint collaboration of Ziad Al-Turki and Paul Walters," said Briars.

"It is no surprise that this prestigious property immediately attracted the attention of several prospective suitors, and the bid of Ziad and Paul was clearly too impressive to resist. The new agreement underpins and increases the brand values recognised behind the Super Series badge.

"The Super Series tournaments are the pinnacle events on the tour and players give 110% each time they step on court to maximise their opportunities of qualifying for the Super Series Finals. The prize funds committed in this new agreement will only escalate their enthusiasm to qualify for the Finals as they travel the tour on an increasingly hectic schedule. Tough competition will only get tougher.

"PSA gratefully acknowledges the continuing commitment of Ziad Al-Turki to the tour and thanks both he and Paul Walters for their joint vision and plans in what will represent a new era of promotion for the PSA Super Series Finals," Briars concluded.

Ziad Al-Turki said: "Squash can not afford for a tournament as important as the Super Series Finals to be lost, and since the announcement that this year's event had been cancelled, Paul and I have been working very hard to not only secure the rights for the event but to put in place a solid and sustainable platform from which it can prosper over the short, medium and long-term."

Paul Walters of internationalSPORTgroup added: "The Super Series Finals is without question one of the most important events on the PSA World Tour and Ziad and I are thrilled to be promoting the championships as part of this seven-year agreement. We are confident that our unique partnership will inject new lifeblood into the event and look forward to announcing dates and venue in the near future."

The Super Series Finals bring together the top eight qualifiers from the annual PSA Super Series Tour to compete in a week-long event. The tournament boasts one of the richest prize funds in the sport and TV highlights are distributed to a large global audience. First staged in Switzerland in 1992, the event moved to the unique location of Broadgate Arena in the heart of London's Square Mile in 1999.

Ziad Al-Turki first became associated with squash in 2005 when he launched the Saudi International, a PSA Super Series Platinum event in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia. Walters, a leading figure in the sport, launched the internationalSPORTgroup in 2004 and, in addition to managing a number of the top players, also promotes the British Open, as well as the Wolverhampton Open and new English Grand Prix.