Sam Adams is "set to replace longtime sponsor Budweiser as the official beer of the Red Sox, after its brewer, Boston Beer Co., signed an eight-year deal with the team that will last through the 2025 season," according to Dan Adams of the BOSTON GLOBE. Sam Adams "appears to be the first craft beer to become the official brew of a ball club." Boston Beer Founder & Chair Jim Koch "admitted being surprised when the Red Sox reached out to initiate talks earlier this fall." Koch: "It's a completely natural fit." Adams notes fans will "notice significant changes" to Fenway Park next season, as the large red Budweiser sign over the right field deck "will be torn down and replaced with a equally prominent Sam Adams marquee." Boston Beer will also "build an 'experiential bar' in the concession area behind the third base line dubbed 'Sammy’s on 3rd.'” Koch said that his company is "working on a sign design that respects Fenway Park’s historic character." Koch: “I’d like to do something as cool as we’re allowed to, but it’s Fenway -- we can’t, like, turn it into Las Vegas.” Adams notes the sides "declined to detail the contract’s financial terms." However, Koch said that the cost was "significant enough that Boston Beer will need to shift some funds away from its traditional advertising budget to pay for it." The Red Sox said that they had "negotiated with multiple brewers, including Anheuser-Busch, but picked Boston Beer because of the team’s preference for local brands and a strong push" by Koch and Boston Beer CEO Martin Roper (BOSTON GLOBE, 12/12).
