NEW YORK – Anheuser-Busch and Soccer United Marketing (SUM) announced on Monday a multi-year renewal of Budweiser and Budweiser Chelada’s official beer co-sponsorship of Major League Soccer (MLS), Budweiser’s sponsorship of the U.S. Men’s National Team and Bud Light’s sponsorship of the U.S. Women’s National Team. The sponsorship also renews Bud Light’s sponsorship of the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol (FMF), including the Mexican National Team in the United States.
Per the multi-year MLS agreement, Budweiser and Budweiser Chelada will continue to have logo rights for advertising and promotions, and co-branded promotional merchandise. Both brands will also retain on-field signage placements during all nationally televised games, the AT&T MLS All-Star Game and MLS Cup. Budweiser will receive entitlement of MLS’ Golden Boot Award – given annually to the league’s top scorer – and Budweiser Chelada will continue leveraging MLS games as sampling opportunities.
The sponsorship renewal with SUM will also provide Anheuser-Busch’s biggest brands – Budweiser and Bud Light – a global platform to support the sport. Budweiser and Bud Light’s respective sponsorships of the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Teams grant the beers global sponsorship rights, including the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup™, the 2012 Olympic teams and the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ team. In addition to logo rights for point-of-sale materials, advertising and promotions, Budweiser and Bud Light will receive entitlement to the Man of the Match award. Bud Light’s sponsorship renewal of the Mexican National Team allows the brand to continue supporting the team in the U.S., including logo rights for packaging and advertising, on-site activations during friendly matches in the U.S., and on-field signage during nationally televised U.S. broadcasts.
“Anheuser-Busch has a rich history in soccer, and we’re thrilled to continue our role as an ambassador of the sport through SUM’s top properties,” said Mark Wright, vice president of media, sports & entertainment marketing, Anheuser-Busch, Inc. “Not only do we have a chance to grow the sport nationally through our sponsorships of Major League Soccer and the Mexican National Team’s in the U.S., but Budweiser and Bud Light’s sponsorship of the U.S. national teams allows us to reach soccer fans on a truly global level.”
“SUM is excited to announce our renewal with Anheuser-Busch, one of the most visible and committed corporate partners of soccer in the United States,” said Kathy Carter, president of Soccer United Marketing. “A long-standing relationship exists between Anheuser-Busch and all three of these properties: MLS, U.S. Soccer and the FMF. There is no question that Anheuser-Busch has been integral to the growth of Major League Soccer, a League that Anheuser-Busch believed in even before the first MLS ball was kicked in 1996.”
