NEW YORK, Feb. 22, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Hockey League (NHL) today announced a major agreement with brewers Molson Coors (NYSE: TAP) in Canada and MillerCoors in the U.S., awarding flagship brand Molson Canadian exclusive League rights in the beer sponsorship category, including the rights to the Official Beer of the NHL® designation, beginning with the 2011-12 NHL season. The deal will span seven years.
In addition to becoming the official and exclusive beer sponsor of the NHL, Molson Canadian will gain the same distinction for key League events, including NHL Face-Off™, NHL Winter Classic®, NHL Heritage Classic™, NHL All-Star, as well as the opportunity to offer consumer promotions involving the Stanley Cup. The deal also provides the brand with opportunities to engage fans through NHL media assets NHL.com, NHL Network™, NHL Mobile™ and NHL Social. Molson Canadian is currently the Official Beer sponsor of many NHL teams in Canada and the U.S.
While Molson Canadian will be the lead brand on the NHL alliance in both countries, Coors Light will share some of the sponsorship assets in the U.S. and Canada.
"This partnership with Molson Coors and MillerCoors will be groundbreaking for the NHL and our fans," said John Collins, NHL Chief Operating Officer. "Molson Canadian is an iconic brand with a rich hockey heritage and Coors Light has a track record of connecting with sports fans in innovative and effective ways. The combination of unprecedented support of our clubs and TV rightsholders with activation across the NHL's comprehensive portfolio of marketing and media assets will create great opportunities for both brands."
Dave Perkins, President and CEO, Molson Coors Canada, said, "Molson Canadian is synonymous with the game of hockey and was the brand that helped build the tradition of 'Hockey Night' across Canada. Partnering with the NHL reinforces Molson Canadian's 'Made from Canada' brand position, and also reflects our company's desire to help Canadians connect over shared passions and great beer."
"Molson Canadian has a long history of supporting hockey at all levels and will use this platform to build momentum in the States, especially in its core markets where hockey already has a stronghold with fans," said Andy England, Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer at MillerCoors. "And Coors Light, the brand that's all about 'cold refreshment,' will use the NHL partnership to strengthen its presence in NHL markets, especially in regions such as the Northeast and Great Lakes."
The partnership between Molson Coors and MillerCoors on the NHL sponsorship is just one example of the benefits of the U.S.-based joint venture between Molson Coors and SABMiller that resulted in the establishment of MillerCoors.
About the NHL
The National Hockey League, founded in 1917, is the second-oldest of the four major professional team sports leagues in North America. Today, the NHL consists of 30 Member Clubs, each reflecting the League's international makeup, with players from more than 20 countries represented on team rosters. According to a Simmons Market Research study, NHL fans are younger, more educated, more affluent, and access content through digital means more than any other sport. The NHL entertains more than 250 million fans each season in-arena and through its partners in national television (VERSUS, NBC, TSN, CBC, RDS, RIS, NASN, ASN and NHL Network™) and radio (NHL Radio™, Sirius XM Radio and XM Canada). Through the NHL Foundation, the League's charitable arm, the NHL raises money and awareness for Hockey Fights Cancer™ and NHL Youth Development, and supports the charitable efforts of NHL players. For more information on the NHL, log on to NHL.com.
About Molson Coors Brewing Company:
Molson Coors Brewing Company is a leading global brewer delivering extraordinary brands that delight the world's beer drinkers. It brews, markets and sells a portfolio of leading premium brands such as Coors Light, Molson Canadian, Carling, Blue Moon, and Keystone Light across North America, Europe and Asia. It operates in Canada through Molson Coors Canada; in the US through MillerCoors; and in the U.K. and Ireland through Molson Coors UK. For more information on Molson Coors Brewing Company and our portfolio of brands, visit the company's Web site, .
About MillerCoors
MillerCoors brews, markets and sells the MillerCoors portfolio of brands in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Built on a foundation of great beer brands and nearly 300 years of brewing heritage, MillerCoors continues the commitment of its founders to brew the highest quality beers. MillerCoors is the second-largest beer company in America, capturing nearly 30 percent of U.S. beer sales. Led by two of the best-selling beers in the industry, MillerCoors has a broad portfolio of highly complementary brands across every major industry segment. Miller Lite is the great-tasting beer that established the American light beer category in 1975, and Coors Light is the brand that introduced consumers to Rocky Mountain cold refreshment. MillerCoors brews premium beers Coors Banquet and Miller Genuine Draft, and economy brands Miller High Life and Keystone Light. The company also offers innovative products such as MGD 64, Miller Chill and Sparks. Through MillerCoors new craft and import company, Tenth and Blake, imports Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Pilsner Urquell, Grolsch and Molson Canadian and features craft brews from the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, Blue Moon Brewing Company and the Blitz-Weinhard Brewing Company. MillerCoors operates eight major breweries in the U.S., as well as the Leinenkugel's craft brewery in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, and two microbreweries, the 10th Street Brewery in Milwaukee and the Blue Moon Brewing Company at Coors Field in Denver. MillerCoors vision is to create the best beer company in America by driving profitable industry growth. MillerCoors insists on building its brands the right way through brewing quality, responsible marketing and environmental and community impact. MillerCoors is a joint venture of SABMiller plc and Molson Coors Brewing Company.
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NHL, the NHL Shield and NHL Winter Classic word mark are registered trademarks and NHL Face-Off, NHL Heritage Classic, NHL Network, and NHL Mobile are trademarks of the National Hockey League. All Rights Reserved.
For more information, contact:
Kerry McGovern, NHL Adam Moffat, Molson Coors Jonathan Stern, MillerCoors
212-789-2172 416-679-7557 312-496-2967
kmcgovern@NHL.com adam.moffat@molsoncoors.com Jonathan.stern@millercoors.com
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