This article originally appeared on Yahoo! Sports by Eric Jackson on 12/20/2021
The NFL has renewed its partnership with the brand’s parent company, Anheuser-Busch InBev, in a new agreement that will last through the 2026-27 season.
The brewing company will continue to be the official beer and hard seltzer sponsor of the NFL after the previous agreement was set to expire after the 2022 Super Bowl. The payment terms of the new deal were not disclosed.
Anheuser-Busch (NYSE: BUD) is one of the NFL’s biggest sponsors, along with Verizon Wireless, Nike and PepsiCo. One of the others is Amazon, which will begin streaming Thursday night games exclusively in 2022. Bud Light subsequently will no longer be the presenting sponsor as Amazon’s 11-year deal with NFL gets underway.
The NFL has expanded its alcohol categories in recent years. The league signed a deal with Diageo, maker of Johnnie Walker and Ketel One, to make the premium beverage company its first ever official spirits sponsor earlier this year. With Anheuser-Busch no longer the only alcohol partner, the new deal will focus strictly on beer and hard seltzers (non-distilled). The NFL continues to explore potential opportunities in wine and champagne.
Anheuser-Busch will double down on activations and tentpole events surrounding its lead brand, Bud Light. The brand, which has endorsements with more than 25 current NFLers, has deals with every team except five—the Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, Las Vegas Raiders and the Green Bay Packers.