USA: Milwaukee’s Best Light inks largest sponsorship deal in poker history
Three-Year Agreement designates MBL as presenting sponsor of the World Series of Poker
Milwaukee’s Best Light announced June 09 a landmark deal with Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc., to become the presenting sponsor and official beer of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) through 2008. The agreement begins with this year’s event at the Rio All Suites and Casino in Las Vegas (June 25-August 10), which will be broadcast nationally on ESPN beginning in July.
The deal is the largest of its kind between a gaming entity and a corporate sponsor. As part of the sponsorship, Milwaukee’s Best Light will be integrated into several facets of the WSOP, including:
• The “Milwaukee’s Best Light Pocket Cam,” which will be featured during the broadcast to show ESPN viewers each player’s cards;
• The “Milwaukee’s Best Light Beer Garden,” an area adjacent to the official poker room at the WSOP, accessible to both players and spectators;
• A new joint mark featuring the WSOP and Milwaukee’s Best Light logos on all cards and chips used at the event, to begin in 2007.
“This milestone deal with Harrah’s and the world’s pre-eminent poker series gives our brand a terrific association with a sport which is very important to our core consumers,” said Paul Verdu, marketing director for Milwaukee’s Best Light. “We will be activating the deal in a big way with our consumers and our distributor and retailer partners throughout the life of the sponsorship.”
“This is a game-changing alliance for the World Series of Poker,” said Jeffrey Pollack, Commissioner of the WSOP. “Miller Brewing is one of the top sports marketers in the world and Milwaukee’s Best Light is a brand on the move that reflects our own sense of fun, creativity, excitement and authenticity. This pact further solidifies our position as the No. 1 poker brand in the world and helps introduce us as a change agent for a select group of consumer-product companies.”
Player participation in the WSOP has increased every year since the tournament’s inception, with roughly 5,600 participants in 2005 and more than 7,000 expected to play in the 2006 WSOP. Last year, Australian Joe Hachem won the Main Event, bringing home $7,500,000 in winnings in his first year competing.
As one of America’s oldest brewers, Miller Brewing Company continues the commitment of founder Frederick J. Miller to brew 'confoundedly good beers' with 'uncompromising quality.' Through more than 150 years of innovation and brewing excellence, Miller has built a broad portfolio of award-winning beers that capture approximately 18% of the U.S. beer market. Miller’s flagship brand, Miller Lite, is the great tasting, less filling beer that defined the American light beer category in 1975.
The company also brews smooth, golden rich Miller Genuine Draft using a unique cold-filtering process Miller introduced in 1985. Miller's oldest brew is Miller High Life, the champagne of beers. Miller imports Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Pilsner Urquell and Foster's, and brews regional craft beers Leinenkugel's and Henry Weinhard's. Near-premium beers include Milwaukee's Best Light, Olde English 800, Mickey's Malt Liquor, Icehouse and Sharp's, a non-alcohol brew. Miller is a wholly owned subsidiary of SABMiller plc, the world's second largest brewer.
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