Published in · 4 min read · Jan 15, 2020
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The National Hockey League entered into a partnership with Anheuser-Busch InBev and its Canadian auxiliary Labatt, making Bud Light the league official beer within the United States, while Budweiser received the same official title in Canada. The new deal means Anheuser-Busch now has sponsorship rights with all four major sports in the US.
The partnership includes all major NHL tentpole events including the NHL Winter Classic®, NHL® All-Star Weekend, Stanley Cup® Playoffs and Stanley Cup® Final. Also included in the partnership is a wide array of activation rights, including digital media.
In addition, Budweiser and Bud Light will have a prominent presence across the league’s media rights partnerships including the NHL Network, NHL Social and NHL.com, in addition to NHL national media rightsholders NBC (U.S.) and Rogers Sportsnet (Canada).
The agreement in Canada also includes ready-to-drink beverages and flavored malt beverages. Mike’s 0g HARDer sparkling water has become the leading brand of the partnership.
“In Canada, Budweiser has supported hockey and its fans for over 10 years and we’re excited and honoured to take our love for the game to the next level as an official sponsor of the NHL,” stated Todd Allen, VP Marketing, Labatt Breweries of Canada. “To continue to elevate the fan experience, we’re also bringing along the newest addition to our roster, Mike’s 0g HARDer Sparkling Water, and we’re eager for hockey fans to learn more about the brand.”
AB InBev and Labatt were both former partners of the NHL. However, both were replaced by Molson Coors for $400 million in 2011 when they signed on as the leading beverage brand of the league. The terms of the A-B In Bev are not yet known.
“Bud Light has a long history of celebrating sports fans season after season, and we are excited to expand our sports portfolio and bring our brand energy and experiences to hockey fans in the U.S. and Canada,” stated Andy Goeler, Bud Light’s marketing vice president.
“We have had great success as a club partner for many years, but this league partnership will enable us to engage even more with hockey fans in new and exciting ways and during key moments throughout the season, bringing fans closer to the game they love.”
This past September, Boston Beer Company-owned Truly’s Hard Seltzer struck a five-year deal beer partnership with the NHL. However, this particular deal was not exclusive, leaving room for AB InBev to come in and secure title rights.
Beyond their partnership with the NHL, AB InBev also has local partnerships with *24 out of the 31 NHL teams. However, A-B is wanting to expand and evolve its approach to sports sponsorships, making them more about content and less about signage.
“We’re thrilled to announce our new partnership with these iconic brands embraced by fans around the world,” stated Kyle McMann, Senior Vice President, North American Business Development & Global Partnerships, NHL. “Through both Anheuser-Busch in the U.S. and Labatt in Canada, this partnership presents a tremendous opportunity to extend the NHL brand to fans across many platforms throughout North America. We look forward to celebrating our game with fans by creating memorable and deep engagements through Bud Light in the U.S. and Budweiser in Canada.”
This new agreement gives AB In Bev greater access to a more extensive and more diverse group of fans, allowing for increased fan engagement around the 5th most popular sport in the US and the most popular sport in Canada.
*Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vancouver Canucks, Vegas Golden Knights, Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets.
