The NBA and SABMiller brand Miller Genuine Draft yesterday announced a multiyear sponsorship deal that makes MGD the official beer partner of NBA Canada. The deal includes local market activation in Canada around the playoffs, NBA Finals, Draft, Summer League, Canada Series and '16 All-Star Game in Toronto. MGD will launch an initiative titled Front Row for The Finals, giving fans the chance to watch Finals games at Boston Pizza locations in Ontario and possibly win tickets to Game 4 of The Finals (NBA). The GLOBE & MAIL's Susan Krashinsky noted the beer "used to be sold at Air Canada Centre because it was distributed in Canada by Molson Coors Brewing Co. through a deal with SABMiller." But that relationship "ended on April 1, as SABMiller decided to take over the task of marketing its brands to Canadians." However, it "also meant that MGD no longer benefited from Molson’s relationship" with the Raptors. It is "no longer sold at concessions in the ACC or bars in the arena." The sport is "on a bit of a roll in Canada when it comes to wooing lucrative sponsorship contracts with advertisers." At the team level, the Raptors have "proven highly attractive to sponsors; and that has rubbed off at the league level as well." In the past year alone, NBA Canada has "signed five new sponsorship deals: with Air Miles, Bank of Montreal, Kumho Tire, Unilever, and now MGD." NBA Canada has "not had an official beer partner since a one-year deal with Moosehead Breweries expired" in '09 (THEGLOBEANDMAIL.com, 5/26).
