A-B has extended Bud Light's "Official Beer"
sponsorship of the NHL through the 2001-02 season, giving
A-B the rights to use league and team marks, as well those
of the All-Star Game, the Stanley Cup Finals and Cup Crazy.
The partnership will be supported via the Bud Light NHL All-
Star Game MVP and the Bud Light Plus/Minus Award, as well as
hockey-themed ads, merchandise, promos and POS materials
(A-B). The SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Andy Bernstein reports
that "for the first time," A-B will receive banner
advertising on the NHL's Web site and on the Cool Shots TV
program. The company "is also expected to begin
negotiations soon" for an ad deal on ESPN and ABC NHL
broadcasts "for next season and beyond." Bud Light sponsors
19 of the 21 U.S.-based NHL teams and buys media with all 21
(SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 3/22 issue). BRANDWEEK reports
that "other pending renewals" for the NHL are the "now
merged" Penzoil/Quaker State motor oil brands and an IBM
"sponsorship/joint venture" (BRANDWEEK, 3/22 issue).
A-B RETURNS TO MLB: The SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's
Langdon Brockinton reports that A-B will buy ad time on
Fox's MLB telecasts this year, marking the company's return
to the network's regular-season MLB coverage "for the first
time" since '96. The deal gives A-B time on each "Fox
Saturday Baseball Game of the Week" and on Fox's post-season
and '99 All-Star Game coverage. Budweiser will be the title
sponsor of one Fox MLB telecast in each of the four months
(June, July, August and September) that Fox televises games.
The first two telecasts will involve interleague play. Bud
receives category exclusivity for these four broadcasts, but
not for Fox's other games (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 3/22).
