Budweiser Partners With the English Premier League & LaLiga To Launch “Be A King” Campaign
By: Kathryn Kuchefski
Tags: Sports, Sponsorship, Soccer, Deal, English Premier League

Budweiser continues to be one of the most dominant brands in sports sponsorship as it signed multi-year deals with both the English Premier League and LaLiga. With an estimated 4 billion fans around the world, football is the most popular sport in the world. Therefore, it is no wonder that Budweiser sees football as the gateway sport to grow in a variety of key markets.

While the partnership will undoubtedly give Budweiser increased visibility in England and Spain, executives believe the prominence of both leagues worldwide will provide them with access to a more extensive and more diverse global network.

“As we look to further internationalize our brand, connecting with these super premium properties that give us unprecedented access to a global audience in the countries that matter to us is key,” stated Steve Arkley, vice president of global marketing at Budweiser. “Both the Premier League and LaLiga have global platforms that reach millions of people, and we think this gives us access to their diverse geographical footprint.”

“We are delighted to announce Budweiser as a new Premier League partner,” stated Premier League interim chief executive Richard Masters. “Budweiser has a track record of innovative football sponsorships, including partnering with the Fifa World Cup over many years. We look forward to working together to bring our new partnership to life and capturing the imagination of our fans all over the world.”

The partnership will be activated throughout five continents and 20 countries, including the United Kingdom, China, India, and South Africa. Activations are set to include viewing parties and trophy tours. There is also a plan to launch a broader social and digital content strategy at the beginning of the 2019–2020 season.

“We are excited to kick-off these long-term partnerships with the Premier League and LaLiga, two world-class football competitions,” stated Pedro Earp, chief marketing officer at AB InBev. “These partnerships will allow us to further connect with key consumers and football fans across the globe. “We are passionate about football, and so are our consumers, so we couldn’t be prouder to celebrate the sport, the players, and most importantly, the fans.”

Budweiser’s partnership with the two top leagues along with FIFA will “let us speak to the planet on an annual basis — we know the interest in soccer is growing across the entire globe, and especially in the emerging world — it’s an amazing opportunity to get in at this level,” stated Arkley. And while Budweiser understands the importance of growing the female game, the focus of this particular partnership is to “drive depth with the two leagues we have and how we can drive impact from that,” stated Arkley. Meaning, these two top leagues are the primary focus, and there is no plan to build out any new associations.

Budweiser is fully invested in football as it is the top international sport giving it the ability to impact the world as a whole. With no other sport would such global growth be effective or possible.



However, according to the Spanish newspaper Expansión, LaLiga’s partnership with Budweiser will not be activated until next year as the league has to finish out its contract with the domestic beer brand Mahou Cinco Estrellas.

“We’re committed to growing the passion for football around the world,” stated La Liga president Javier Tebas. “This historic partnership with Budweiser will only add to the growing excitement and anticipation for this year’s season, and we’re thrilled to have them as partners. The global visibility of Spanish clubs will be strengthened thanks to this agreement.”

Budweiser has not commented on the specific financials of the deal. However, due to the prominence of both leagues and their potential influence on the Budweiser brand globally, the numbers should align appropriately.