The Overwatch League now has its own official beer sponsor, and it's none other than Bud Light, the famous beverage brand from AB InBev.
For a while now, the Overwatch League has been gaining popularity and momentum. Slowly but surely, it is becoming a mainstream gaming event. With the addition of Bud Light as the official beer sponsor, it could become an even more attractive event for fans and non-fans alike.
"Partnering with a brand like Bud Light and the AB InBev family of brands allows us to continue to reach fans in new and exciting ways," said Brandon Snow, chief revenue officer of Activision Blizzard Esports Leagues.
The famous beer brand is going to feature heavily in this year's Overwatch League 2019 Grand Finals, whenever and wherever that may end up being.
"We're very happy to be working with a company that finds value in bringing fans together to celebrate the very best in competitive entertainment," Snow added.
Beer Sponsorship Specifics
According to the press release, ABI's Bud Light brand of beer will be the one and only official beer for the league effective immediately, and that it will be "activating" at various fan watch parties all over the world. The only exception to the above is China.
As part of the deal, ABI will provide sponsorship of fan activations whenever the Overwatch League hits the road, such as during the recently concluded Atlanta Bud Light Homestand Weekend. A couple of channels, namely ABC and ESPN2, will also program sponsored broadcasts developed by the league and the beer brand on certain dates.
The upcoming broadcast dates are July 6, from 3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. EDT on ABC, and July 7, from 2:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m. EDT on ESPN2. It is likely that highlights from the league matches will also be posted online and available to watch for free.
A History Of Working Together
João Chueiri, AB InBev's SVP of consumer connections marketing, also issued a statement via the official press release. He said that ABI has a long history of working closely with great sports partners, and so that is exactly where the Overwatch League comes in.
"Bud Light was one of the early adopters of esports with our Bud Light Esports All-Stars program years ago and we are excited to expand our footprint with the premier esports property in >Overwatch League," Chueiri said.
He also added that the deal allows them to engage a whole new segment of fans, particularly those that are of legal-drinking-age and with an interest in esports.
As an esports event, Overwatch League already prominently features a number of different sponsor brands. Bud Light joins the likes of Coca-Cola, HP, Intel, T-Mobile, and Toyota as the newest brand with the ABI partnership.
