Anheuser-Busch will partner with resort-owner American
Skiing Co. to "own and produce" a three-event series which
will expand on the Bud Light Boarder Battle snowboard
competition, according to Andy Bernstein of the
SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. Bud Light and American Skiing Co.
"have built the event from the ground up, coughing up
$180,000 in prize money and about $750,000 in production
costs and even selling sponsorships." The Busch Media Group
negotiated a deal with ESPN to air two one-hour broadcasts
per event on ESPN and ESPN2 and A-B's TV production
division, Bud Sports, will "film and package" it. A-B Sports
Marketing spokesperson Charlie Hodges said that each program
block "will include Bud Light advertising and advertising
from other event sponsors, with some advertising inventory
reserved for ESPN to sell." Hodges: "We're not looking to
make a profit on this. We don't need to. We're looking at
this as a marketing opportunity." Airwalk will be the
presenting sponsor of the event to be held in Killington and
Mt. Snow (VT) and Lake Tahoe (CA) (SBJ, 11/9 issue).
