The National Hockey League (NHL) announced today it has reached an agreement with Anheuser-Busch, Inc. for Bud Light to remain the Official Beer of the NHL through the 2010-11 season.

Simultaneous renewals with Anheuser-Busch and Labatt, which markets and distributes Bud Light in Canada, gives the brand category exclusivity and a brand presence in-game and at retail across North America.

Bud Light has been the Official Beer Sponsor of the NHL since 1998 and, at the local level, sponsors 21 of the League’s 24 U.S. teams. In addition to remaining the official and exclusive beer sponsor of the NHL All-Star Game, Bud Light gains the same distinction for the NHL Winter Classic, as well as the opportunity to offer a consumer promotion involving the Stanley Cup.

The combination of local support with activation across the NHL’s comprehensive portfolio of marketing and media assets creates great opportunities for both brands.

“The NHL’s expanded partnership with Bud Light validates our strategy to successfully activate avid fans across a portfolio of media and marketing assets,” said John Collins, the NHL’s Senior Executive Vice President of Business and Media. “Renewing and expanding our relationship with Bud Light aligns us with a premier North American brand in a key sports marketing category.”

“The NHL continues to put out a great product year after year and is doing a fine job of using new marketing platforms to connect with its fans,” said Tony Ponturo, Vice President of Global Media and Sports Marketing, Anheuser-Busch, Inc. “This is especially true of the digital space, which is a shared point of emphasis for Bud Light.”

Source: The National Hockey League

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Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.

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