N/A Beer, Coming To A Stadium Near You?

Once solely the domain of traditional beer, non-alcoholic brands are pushing their way into the sports sponsorship landscape.

Beer and sports sponsorships are about as old as, well, beer and sports themselves. In an category still dominated by Big Beer, Anheuser-Busch InBev remains the king of the industry, serving as the official beer sponsor of the four largest sports leagues in the U.S. and Canada. Over the years some of the larger, regional craft brewers have followed suit, many inking their own deals with local pro or college sports organizations where they are based. The connection between everyone’s favorite malt beverage with its favorite pastimes is obvious, but with health and wellness taking center stage in today’s culture, promoting alcohol off the backs of some of the world’s greatest athletes has to at least feel a little bit less comfortable now, right? Enter non-alcoholic beer.

Same as with any beer sponsorships, the big brands with the deepest pockets are again dominating this space the same as they do with traditional beer endorsements. Heineken 0.0 has struck multiple deals, including serving as the official N/A beer of Formula One, the most prestigious competition in motorsports, and also one where non-alcoholic is a natural messaging fit given it’s a sport centered around driving. And most recently, in January of this year A-B InBev announced their Corona Cero brand would be the first-ever global beer sponsor of the Olympic Games, with the IOC having specifically highlighted the N/A as their brand of choice for the relationship. The fact it’s the sole beer brand of the Games, alcoholic or not, is in itself a watershed moment for the N/A movement.

In the craft non-alcoholic sector, unsurprisingly Athletic has been the flag-bearer for the category in much the same way it has served overall. The Milford, Connecticut brewing leader has signed over 60 sports sponsorship deals and rights agreements thus far, including with the Miami Dolphins, Indiana Pacers, the IRONMAN triathlon series, and the non-alcoholic beer mile. But as other brands have joined what is quickly becoming a more crowded space, newcomers like Hedlum Brewing have locked up deals with the U.S. Ski and Snowboarding team, as well as with Fairfield University Athletics. Partake Brewing has signed a deal with the Association of Pickleball Players (APP) to be their official N/A beer. You can bet that once a new precedent has been set, other deals of this ilk will not be far behind.

So what does all of this mean? While the highest levels of sports sponsorships will continue to be controlled by the big brands, expect to see more choose to send N/A offerings up to the plate versus their full-booze counterparts. For one, it will help justify the investments they have continued to make in the category, which are substantial. Two, it just makes sense from a lifestyle perspective. If you think health and wellness is a trend for the average Joe, certainly the world’s best athletes in any sport are health-conscious to the extreme, which for most includes being very cautious about what to put in their bodies. Associating a healthier version of a product in that context just feels like a more realistic bond, particularly for the fitness-related sports like running, tennis, and of course, pickleball.

As for the craft N/A brands and their role in this, we’d expect to see Athletic remaining active in the category, including potentially pulling off a major sports sponsorship that might’ve otherwise gone to a traditional full-alcohol brand. The most-sold beer brand of any kind at Whole Foods stores has earned its place at that level. As for the rest of the space, the recent announcements by Partake and Hedlum are perhaps indicative of where this is going. For the former, pickleball has quickly become one of the hottest new sports, with many celebrity athletes like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Michael Phelps getting involved. Its popularity is becoming prominent in those approaching or in middle-age, a demographic that seems like a natural fit for a lower-calorie, non-alcoholic beer. With the partnership including a component to honor those supporting the sport in various communities, Partake will also gain the opportunity to promote their beer and the category at a grass-roots level. Similarly, Hedlum’s deal with the U.S. Ski and Snowboarding team feels like a lifestyle move to associate their brand in a category boasting a long history with traditional beer. Say the words ‘apres ski’ to any skier, and images of downing a fresh beer (or three) after a long day on the slopes immediately comes to mind. So why not inject a beer without alcohol into that ritual?

Aside from Athletic and a handful of others, the craft N/A brand landscape is still largely a white, open space, and companies like Partake and Hedlum are seemingly using sports sponsorships to burnish their brand ethos, and carve out their own niche areas in the category. As the space continues to mature, expect others to leverage this tried and true marketing tactic.