Indian Wells, CA

BNP Paribas, Europe’s leading financial institution and foremost global sponsor of tennis, announces the start of the 2025 BNP Paribas Open and confirms its long-standing commitment to the sport through numerous initiatives. BNP Paribas has been supporting tennis for over 50 years and aims to promote tennis at every level, including championing accessibility and inclusivity, as well as community programs and professional tournaments. 

BNP Paribas is a strong believer in the power of tennis and that making it accessible will inspire and bring positive change to communities. The bank’s initiatives reflect that commitment. At the 2025 tournament, the bank will activate many local programs which focus on community engagement and support causes such as youth development and education, among others:

• Points for Change: Launched during the 2023 French Open, the “Points for Change” campaign is now a feature at all BNP Paribas-sponsored professional tournaments, including the BNP Paribas Open. As part of the program, every point scored during these tournaments are transformed into donations which benefit local groups by promoting education and inclusion through sport. 2025 marks the second year during which proceeds from the points scored at the BNP Paribas Open will be donated to the non-profit Girls on the Run Riverside Chapter, serving Riverside and San Bernadino Counties. This results in approximately 125,000 points for the entire tennis season and a point meter is available on the BNP Paribas We Are Tennis website. The final point total at the 2024 BNP Paribas Open was 26,755, resulting in $26,755 for Girls on the Run.

• #FAAPointsForChange: Since 2020, BNP Paribas has supported Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime (ATP World No. 21) in his commitment to building a better future for youth in the West-African nation of Togo, where his father is from. Félix has pledged to donate $5 for each point he wins during the tournament and BNP Paribas will match with $15 per point. Since the beginning of 2025, the program has evolved into college scholarships for excellence granted to talented students from rural areas, enabling them to succeed in higher education. At the end of 2024, Félix Auger-Aliassime visited Togo to meet various stakeholders working on the project.
  
• BNP Paribas Open Scholarship Program: Celebrating its 10th anniversary, BNP Paribas is once again excited to award scholarships to four deserving high school students from the local Indio High School. The recipients will be named and each awarded $20,000 college grants during a ceremony at their school on Wednesday, March 12. They will also be congratulated during an on-court presentation at the BNP Paribas Open later that evening.
  
• Team BNP Paribas Young Talents, featuring Team Mac 1: Helping the next generation of top-level tennis players reach their goals and dreams, this global program provides coaching and financial support to over 160 talented young athletes around the world on the path to professional careers. Players are granted the opportunity to train under the direct supervision of tennis professionals and legends. The program began in 2018 with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in France and in 2019 with John and Patrick McEnroe in the United States, which provides financial support and trains children 11-17 years old who have the potential to become tomorrow’s champions. The Young Talents Group currently consists of 10 players. In 2025, the Wild Cards for the qualifying rounds are Hanne Vandewinkel from the Belgian Young Talent Team and  Theo Papamalamis from the French Young Talent Program who’s currently playing for Texas A&M University. Arthur Cazaux (ranked 101^st Singles), from the French Young Talent team, will be playing in the 2025 BNP Paribas Open. Additionally, Zizou Ahmad is playing in the Fila International Junior Championships also taking place at the Indian Wells Garden.
  
• International Tennis Hall of Fame (ITHF): Letters to Greatness is a new collaboration at the BNP Paribas tent, open to the public starting Mar 2. Fans are welcome to record or write their messages of congratulations to the ITHF’s Class of 2025, Maria Sharapova and Bob and Mike Bryan. On Mar 5 at 2 p.m., press is invited to attend as ITHF Presidents Kim Clijsters and Patrick McEnroe join the Bryan Brothers in the tent. On Mar 8 at 12 p.m., local students will have a meet-and-greet with Clijsters and other Hall of Famers as part of the ITHF’s Be Legendary program. BNP Paribas has been a long-term partner with the ITHF supporting the “Legends Ball” in NYC, the induction celebrations, as well as participating as a member of the group’s board. The ITHF is a non-profit organization in Newport, Rhode Island, that preserves the history of tennis and celebrates its champions to inspire excellence across generations globally.
  
• Ticket Donation: BNP Paribas will again allocate a significant number of BNP Paribas Open tickets to local schools and nonprofit organizations to give young groups the opportunity to experience the thrill of live, professional tennis, a first for many. 
  
• NYC based Activations at BNP Paribas Midtown NYC Headquarters: Numerous events and promotions which include Aldo Sohm Wine Bar (151 W 51^st Street at 6½ Avenue) showcasing tournament coverage and exclusively serving tournament partner Spotlight 29 Casino’s signature drink – the Drop Shot; the BNP Paribas Tower lobby tournament promotion where tenants and employees can receive tournament giveaways; viewing events for employees at the bank’s NYC and Jersey City campuses; the special correspondent incentive contest where staff can win the opportunity to attend the tournament in California and report on their experiences; displaying the BNP Paribas Open logo in the bank’s Midtown NYC building as well as Captivate Screens advertising in elevators.

José Placido, CEO of BNP Paribas USA and CIB Americas said: “We are very happy to again be highlighting our global commitment to tennis as title sponsor of this incredible tournament and our many worthwhile community programs. A key focus at the bank is the benefits of tennis and making it more accessible to all, using it to help foster positive impact globally, including here in the Coachella Valley community. Our community actions reflect our core values and I am thrilled that we are celebrating the 10th year anniversary of our student scholarship program for local high schoolers. To our many partners and staff who help us achieve these goals while sponsoring the best of professional tennis, a special thank you. I also invite everyone to come join us and our clients in California for two weeks of exciting world-class tennis.” 

BNP Paribas collaborates with local organizations and schools to support and promote tennis as a sport for all. BNP Paribas recognizes the importance of accessible and inclusive sporting opportunities and aims to contribute to promoting tennis throughout the local community.

The Indian Wells Tennis Garden – one of the world’s premier tennis facilities and home to the BNP Paribas Open – remains committed to building a better “Tennis Paradise” implementing new programs in the community and inspiring others to join.