Texas Longhorns athletics adds new exclusive beer sponsor
Anheuser-Busch announced Thursday it has entered an agreement to become the exclusive domestic and craft beer sponsor of the Texas Longhorns athletic department, the Texas Exes, and the AT&T Red River Showdown. The agreement, which lasts for five years, “unites iconic brands who share a mission to build meaningful connections with sports fans on game day and enhance the in-stadium experience,” per a statement.
[Get a FREE 7-day trial of Inside Texas Plus!]
“We are so grateful for the commitment and support from our friends at Anheuser-Busch and Brown Distributing,” Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte said. “Their passion and pride for Texas Athletics and our Longhorns is such an important part of this. They’re just a fantastic group of folks who are awesome to work with and will absolutely share our devotion to our great Texas fans everywhere. We’re so excited to welcome Anheuser-Busch to Longhorn Nation as an official sponsor.”
Anheuser-Busch also announced they would release limited-edition co-branded Texas Longhorns packaging in various sizes beginning on September 1.
“As our portfolio continues to grow and consumer passion points evolve, it’s critical that we are investing in new occasions and relationships to help us deepen the connections between our brands and the fans,” Anheuser-Busch head of sports marketing Matt Davis said. “The Texas Longhorns have a deep and passionate fanbase that allows us to excite fans in new ways in Texas and beyond.”
Anheuser-Busch will have an increased presence on Bevo Blvd. in addition to exclusive in-stadium advertising rights for domestic and craft beer. The press release also said A-B will have “non-exclusive rights for ready-to-drink canned cocktail beverages and brand visibility through multiple university platforms, including videoboard and field level signage, balcony LED ribbons, concourse level activations, and Longhorns media and broadcast integrations across social, digital, print, tv, and radio.”
“Having been the Anheuser-Busch distributor in Austin for 60 years, we know firsthand the incredible passion that Texans have for their home teams,” said Brown Distributing vice president Laurie Brown. “Brown Distributing is thrilled to be partnering with Anheuser-Busch on this sponsorship of Texas Athletics, and we can’t wait to help make the game day experience a little sweeter for 21+ fans.”
UT, Anheuser-Busch, and Brown Distributing noted they will support efforts to drink responsibly by bringing its “Decide to Ride” campaign to game days.
Texas made alcohol-related news earlier in the year when the philanthropic arm of Tito’s Handmade Vodka donated $20 million to the UT athletic department.
