USA: Miller Lite to Sponsor CONCACAF Gold Cup Tournament

Miller Lite announced that it will be the exclusive worldwide beer sponsor of the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup™ tournament, according to company’s press room, January 22. The sponsorship is a renewal of the brand’s ongoing partnership with CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) and – on the heels of Miller Lite’s highly successful 2006 soccer marketing campaign, “Pasión 10” – an affirmation of its continued focus on promoting the sport of soccer and bringing excitement to its fans.

The CONCACAF Gold Cup™ is the confederation’s showpiece event for men’s national teams as it crowns the regional champion. The 2007 Gold Cup is scheduled to take place June 6-24, 2007, with the tournament’s early games played in Boston, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami and New York. The semi-finals and championship game will be played at Soldier Field in Chicago.

Coming off a year of unprecedented enthusiasm for the sport, Miller Lite is in position to help make the Gold Cup one of the world’s foremost soccer events. Along with category exclusivity, Miller Lite’s involvement in the CONCACAF Gold Cup™ features inclusion of the Miller Lite brand in print, television and radio advertising for the tournament; Miller Lite as the presenter of the MVP honour for each match and the tournament overall; on-field signage at all tournament venues.

“Miller Lite’s alliance with the Gold Cup is one of our most critical partnerships,” said Dave Dixon, Miller Brewing Company’s senior director of Hispanic marketing. “Coming off the success of last year’s Pasión 10 program, the 2007 Gold Cup allows us to interact with one of Miller Lite’s most important audiences, legal-drinking-age Hispanic consumers. Miller Lite’s continued support of international soccer has paved the way for a closer connection between the sport and its legions of U.S. fans.”

“We are proud to once more be partnering with Miller Lite for the CONCACAF Gold Cup™,” said Chuck Blazer, CONCACAF General Secretary. “Miller played an important part in making the 2005 Gold Cup the huge success it was and we all look forward to our partnership helping to make the 2007 Gold Cup more successful than ever.”

The theme for Miller Lite’s 2007 Gold Cup program will be “United with Passion,” as Miller Lite and the Gold Cup bring together players and fans from throughout North and Central America, the Caribbean and the U.S. The program and Gold Cup partnership will also reinforce Miller Lite’s multiple wins in the World Beer Cup. Miller Lite has won four of the last six gold medals in the American-Style Light Lager category in the bi-annual World Beer Cup competition.

About Miller Brewing Company

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 percent of the U.S. beer market. In the past decade, Miller beers have won 105 medals – more than twice as many as its major competitors – at the biannual World Beer Cup and annual Great American Beer Fest. An unprecedented four time gold award winner at the World Beer Cup, Miller Lite is the great tasting, less filling beer that has defined the American light lager category since 1975. Miller also brews smooth, golden rich Miller Genuine Draft using a unique cold-filtering process introduced in 1985. The company’s oldest brew is Miller High Life, the champagne of beers. Miller imports Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Pilsner Urquell and Foster's, and it offers regional craft brews from the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company and the Blitz-Weinhard Brewing Company. Near-premium beers include Milwaukee's Best Light, Steel Reserve, Olde English 800, Mickey's Malt Liquor, Icehouse and Sharp's, a non-alcohol brew. Miller also offers the Sparks line of caffeinated alcohol beverages. Miller is a wholly owned subsidiary of SABMiller plc, the world's second largest brewer.

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