Dunkin’ Donuts yesterday announced a multiseason sponsorship with ESPN’s “Monday Night Countdown” that gives the QSR exclusive rights to “Field Pass” segments. ESPN and Dunkin’ Donuts will team up to expand “Field Pass” to include various online and social media channels, details of which will be announced in the coming months. Hill Holliday negotiated the sponsorship on behalf of the QSR (Dunkin’ Donuts). ADWEEK.com's Anthony Crupi reported the Dunkin' Donuts logo "will be featured prominently throughout the segments, which are shot from multiple locations on and around the field." The deal marks the "first time ESPN has built a sponsorship" around "Field Pass." While there will not be on-air product placement, both parties said that they "wouldn't rule out on-air integration" at some point. Dunkin' Brands Dir of Media Nicholas Dunham said, "We’d certainly love to have our product appear on-air, but any time you get the talent involved there’s another level of difficulty." The QSR also sponsors ESPN's "NFL Live." ESPN President of Customer Marketing & Sales Ed Erhardt said, "They were looking for something unique and wanted the reach of the NFL" (ADWEEK.com, 9/12).
