A-B's In-House Division, Bud Productions, Shutting Down January 1

A-B Closing Down Bud Sports, Which Produced Hundreds Of MLB, NFL, NHL Broadcasts

Bud Productions, also known as Bud Sports, Anheuser-Busch's in-house division that "produced hundreds of play-by-play broadcasts" of MLB, the NHL and the NFL, "will shut down Jan. 1," according to Jeremiah McWilliams of the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. A-B is shutting down the unit, "saying it is focusing on making and marketing beer." The announcement came one day after A-B InBev said that it is "cutting 1,400 full-time salaried jobs in the U.S., including about 1,000 in St. Louis." It was "unclear Tuesday how many jobs will be lost from the closure of Bud Productions or whether they were included in the previously announced layoffs." FSN Midwest VP & GM Jack Donovan said that Bud Productions "helped Fox broadcast [MLB] Cardinals games on TV, as well as produce the Blues games on the radio." McWilliams notes FSN Midwest is "in hiring discussions with several people from Bud Productions" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 12/10).