CHICAGO - The 100-year-old Western Open is Chicago's oldest and best-known link to professional golf, and since 1987 its title sponsors have been companies that produce food, cell phones, electronic devices and pain relievers.

All were rather conventional products, each a comfortable fit for the golf demographic.

That can't necessarily be said of the Western's new title sponsor.

As of Friday the tournament will be known as the Cialis Western Open, according to the Western Golf Association, which oversees the event. Pharmaceutical giant Lilly ICOS recently gained FDA approval for Cialis, a drug for erectile dysfunction, and is marketing the new product as an alternative to Viagra and Levitra.

Lilly ICOS' high-profile move into golf is the latest example of how drug companies are aggressively using sports as a platform to push their male potency products. Viagra did a reported $1.8 billion in sales last year, and Cialis and Levitra want in on that market, which seems to skew increasingly younger according to the competing multimillion-dollar ad campaigns.

One of Viagra's most prominent pitchmen is 39-year-old slugger Rafael Palmeiro, and Mark Martin drives a Viagra-sponsored car on stock car racing's NASCAR circuit.

Levitra has hooked up with the NFL, utilizing the baddest Bear of them all, 64-year-old Mike Ditka, as a spokesman.

Ditka has talked frankly about his personal experiences, and in his commercials he tells men to "Stay at the top of your game, on the job, on the field_wherever, and at any age."

Cialis and Levitra will be prominent advertisers during the Feb. 5 Super Bowl telecast, at $2.3 million per 30-second spot. That shows their commitment to gaining an edge in a growing, highly competitive market.

Lilly ICOS' three-year deal with the Western offers the tournament financial stability in what has been a shaky market for golf sponsorships. The agreement also allows the Western to retain its name, unlike, say, the Phoenix Open, which is becoming the FBR Open.

But the nature of the product is certain to make the tournament a target for suggestive one-liners, especially within the anything-goes format of sports-talk "guy" radio.

"If they're looking for a little attention, we'll give them attention," said Terry Boers, co-host with Dan Bernstein of WSCR-AM 670's midday show.

Anticipating that somewhat predictable reaction, Lilly ICOS sought assurances from Western tournament director John Kaczkowski that the name and the product link wouldn't pose any problems.

Kaczkowski said he isn't concerned, insisting that the positives of the deal far outweigh any negatives. Terms weren't disclosed, but companies have been known to spend in excess of $7 million to become title sponsor of a PGA Tour event. All Western profits support the Evans Scholars, a college scholarship fund for caddies.

"The name doesn't bother us at all," Kaczkowski said. "What concerns us is being able to run a tournament that will generate proceeds for the Evans Scholars. Because of this deal, we're able to do that."

Lilly ICOS intends to use golf as a vehicle to spread the word on Cialis. In addition to its Western deal, it has entered into a four-year sponsorship agreement with the PGA Tour.

"The people who watch and play golf (mostly men) are a very important audience for us," said Paul Clark, chairman and CEO of ICOS. "The Tour and the Western will allow us to position our product in a meaningful way."

Clark said more than 30 million men suffer from erectile dysfunction, and 70 percent of them go untreated.

"(The condition) is easy to dismiss if it doesn't affect you," Clark said. "But erectile dysfunction is a serious issue to those affected by it. People now are aware there are ways to address it."

Bob Williams, head of the marketing firm Burns Sports and Celebrity Inc., sees no reason why the Western should shy away from an association with Cialis.

"Five years ago you might have thought twice about it," he said. "But given what has happened in the marketplace, there's a different perception of these products. There might be some snickers initially, but I think they'll fall away quickly."

Williams says the Western should feel fortunate it has a deal with Lilly ICOS. In the current economic climate there aren't many companies willing to shell out big money to sponsor golf tournaments.

Kaczkowski came to believe Cialis was the best choice for the Western after preliminary talks with two other companies.

"Where the economy was when we were looking (for a new sponsor), we were nervous," Kaczkowski said. "We're ecstatic to find somebody who is committed to golf."

Source : http://www.mercurynews.com