Heineken has declined to confirm reports of a multi-million dollar partnership deal with Formula 1. David Pugh, a spokesperson for the Dutch brewery, told SBD Global, "We will not speculate on what we might do in the future as this is commercially sensitive." Heineken is reportedly
set to announce a five-year, $225M deal with the int'l racing series. The deal is expected to kick in at the Canadian Grand Prix weekend in Montreal from June 10-12. As a global partner, Heineken would receive extensive presence through trackside signage at all F1 races. The potential deal would also include a tie-up with a team. The news of a potential deal was first reported by Autosport.com on Wednesday. The website took down the piece shortly after its publication, which led to speculations about its truth. However, an industry source confirmed the accuracy of the report to SBD Global. "As a leading premium brand, we are constantly evaluating potential sponsorship and partnership opportunities. This includes F1 as well as many other sports properties. This is normal good business practice," the Heineken spokesperson said. Heineken's global sports sponsorship portfolio includes the UEFA Champions League, Major League Soccer and the Rugby World Cup. It also is an official sponsor of the James Bond movie franchise. "When it makes sense for our brands, in terms of excellent commercial opportunities and a compelling platform for engaging with consumers, especially around making drinking in moderation cool, then we have shown that we will act," the spokesperson added. F1 could be interested in using its prestigious Monaco Grand Prix on May 29 as the setting to unveil the global partnership. It would be the series' first new global partnership since Emirates airlines and Rolex joined in '13 (
SBD Global). F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone: "Apparently it leaked on a website in Holland. Heineken told me they were very, very sorry and that they were pissed off" (
London GUARDIAN, 5/17).
