Miller Extends Cowboys Partnership In Record Sponsorship Deal

The Cowboys and Miller Brewing Co. have agreed to a 12-year extension of their partnership, securing Miller Lite's exclusive sponsorship rights with the team through the 2020 season. The deal includes beer category exclusivity; TV, radio and print ads through the team's media partnerships; the use of the Cowboys' marks on packaging and POS; and Miller Lite-branded clubs, plazas, consumer zones, beer gardens and VIP areas, including the Miller Lite Champions Plaza, which will be one of the main entries to the stadium and will feature Miller Lite branding. Miller Lite also will mark the final season in Texas Stadium this fall with a marketing campaign titled, "You Could Take Home History." The campaign includes weekly giveaways, commemorative packaging and advertising. Miller Lite's "Vive La Experiencia de Los Cowboys" program also will give fans the chance to win game tickets and stadium merchandise (Miller Brewing Co.). Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, however, NFL sources said that the new deal will average about $8M annually, the "largest sponsorship ever for an individual U.S. team outside of naming rights." In this week's SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, Terry Lefton reports Miller, which has 12 sponsorships with NFL teams, four of them exclusive arrangements, also is in the "formative stages of designing a 'brand icon' that will rise three stories above one end zone" of the Cowboys' new stadium (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 5/26 issue).