MillerCoors takes over NHL beer sponsorship

[Rick Nash homework]

I didn't mean that they drink beer at all, that goes without saying, but that they drink the most as compared to fans across other sports.

Yeah, I'm with you on that. NFL or NASCAR have to be the most beer drinking people out there.

 

[LadyStanley]

MicheleSteele 5:12am via HootSuite Just spoke to John Collins, NHL's COO : Molson spend is "2 to 3 times" bigger than previous beer sponsorship with Labatt

 

[AllByDesign]

MicheleSteele 5:12am via HootSuite Just spoke to John Collins, NHL's COO : Molson spend is "2 to 3 times" bigger than previous beer sponsorship with Labatt

Which would explain why the NHL would be quite eager to leave Labatt sitting alone at the baragaining table waiting for their date to show up....

 

[obsenssive*]

Yeah, I'm with you on that. NFL or NASCAR have to be the most beer drinking people out there.

actually no. the aussi rules football league (AFL) in australia has the most heavy beer drinking fans of any sports league in the world. then comes some european soccer leagues.

 

[eliostar]

Leave it to the NHL to screw up what should have been a good news story.

As an aside, funniest comment I've heard regarding this deal: "So does that mean the NHL is now a beer league?"

How did the NHL screw it up?
Molson offered a better deal, Labatt lost is is sore.

 

[Fugu]

MicheleSteele 5:12am via HootSuite Just spoke to John Collins, NHL's COO : Molson spend is "2 to 3 times" bigger than previous beer sponsorship with Labatt

That's too easy. The Labatt deal was for Canada alone, and the point of the suit being filed is that they'd already negotiated a renewal, or had the framework in place. Not sure if Collins is comparing the Labatt Canada deal to this new US/Canada combined one, so yes, you hope it's for far more.

Interestingly, Labatt has individual team deals with 23-24 NHL teams. When/what does Molson 'activate' -- nationally televised games? They can't do much in-arena if another company has a deal with a team?

 

[Rick Nash homework]

actually no. the aussi rules football league (AFL) in australia has the most heavy beer drinking fans of any sports league in the world. then comes some european soccer leagues.

Sources pleases?

 

[IU Hawks fan]

Interestingly, Labatt has individual team deals with 23-24 NHL teams. When/what does Molson 'activate' -- nationally televised games? They can't do much in-arena if another company has a deal with a team?

The purpose of the deal is it gives them the ability to say "Official Beer of the NHL" and make commercials as such. It has nothing to do with individual team pouring deals.

 

[Kimota]

So tired of Molson. I hope this doesn't screw over Labatt trying to invest in the new arena in Québec. Labatt should be a Quebec city stronghold.

 

[Mwd711]

That's too easy. The Labatt deal was for Canada alone, and the point of the suit being filed is that they'd already negotiated a renewal, or had the framework in place. Not sure if Collins is comparing the Labatt Canada deal to this new US/Canada combined one, so yes, you hope it's for far more.

Interestingly, Labatt has individual team deals with 23-24 NHL teams. When/what does Molson 'activate' -- nationally televised games? They can't do much in-arena if another company has a deal with a team?

There have always been individual team deals. Almost every team has an official beer sponsor and always has but that doesn't effect the league's sponsorship deals. The Red Wings official beer partners have always been Molson and Miller Lite even though A-B controlled the league sponsorship. It doesn't change team's individual deals. It's similar to how Pepsi is a partner of the NHL's yet most teams are affiliated with Coca-Cola. Official sponsors don't matter when it comes to pouring rights, etc. The only exception is Gatorade which is mandated by the league to be used by the players. Fans in the arena's won't see much of a difference especially since pouring rights are often dealt with by whomever controls the arena, and the team may have little say depending on the situation. It seems to me that Molson has been the dominant beer with the Canadian teams for years even though Labatt was the league's official beer.

Another thing to note is that Labatt USA has nothing to do with Labatt Canada. It's not the same company so while the Labatt brand may have deals with most teams, that's really Buffalo's North American Breweries doing the sponsor deals in the U.S. Labatt had to sell off the U.S. company in 2009 because of the A-B/InBev merger. Labatt Canada has always been more interested in the league wide approach while Molson did the opposite. Now, the roles will be reversed as Labatt recently inked deals with the Flames and Canucks to take over for Molson.

I think part of the confusion comes from the term "sponsor activation". That's nothing but a fancy marketing term. All activation means is how the company will promote it's sponsorship. That can be anything including contests, promotions, magazine ads, merchandising, etc.