Changing Their Tune: Heineken Drops Open To Focus On Music

Heinken Changing Its Tune On Sports Sponsorships

Heineken is ending its 14-year sponsorship of the U.S. Open tennis tournament after this year’s event, according to Daniel Kaplan of SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, who writes “the older fan base of tennis does not now mesh neatly” with the company’s target market. Following the move, Heineken will have “no national U.S. sports sponsorships, and will instead focus on music to reach the male, 21- to 35-year-old demographic.” Heineken has “for several years shifted resources into music away from sports, deciding it could not compete” with A-B and Miller in U.S. sports. Heineken VP/Corporate Affairs Daniel Tearno: “That gets us closer to the consumer we want to speak to. With music we can be more focused.” Kaplan notes Amsterdam-based Heineken currently sponsors the Grammys and last week was scheduled to unveil its support of the inaugural Amsterjam August 20 in N.Y. (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 6/6 issue).