AB InBev will activate its Bud Light brand at various Overwatch League events this season joining a growing list of brand partners including Coca-Cola, Toyota, T-Mobile, HP, Intel and more.
The Overwatch League today announced a deal with AB InBev (ABI), naming the beverage company the league’s official beer partner. The Overwatch League™ is the first major global professional esports league with city-based teams across Asia, Europe, and North America.
Aligning with the Bud Light Homestand Weekends in Dallas and Atlanta, ABC and ESPN2 will program Overwatch League–produced and Bud Light sponsored broadcasts on:
- April 27, 8–10 p.m. EDT on ESPN2
- July 6, 3–5 p.m. EDT on ABC
- July 7, 2–3:30 p.m. EDT on ESPN2
“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. “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.”
“Our company has a long history of aligning ourselves with great sports partners and Overwatch League certainly fits that bill,” said João Chueiri, SVP of consumer connections marketing at AB InBev. “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. This partnership provides us with an opportunity to engage with a new segment of legal-drinking-age fans and align our brands with one of the most exciting esports properties out there right now.”
“In addition to activations with Bud Light in the U.S., AB InBev brands in markets such as Canada, U.K. and South Korea are planning on activation programs to enhance the fan experience at Overwatch League events in those markets,” said Eelco van der Noll, Head of Global Experiential Marketing at AB InBev.
“We’ve seen a ton of exciting Overwatch League watch parties spring up organically around the world, and with AB InBev and Bud Light on board to partner with us they’re going to get even better,” said Josh Cella, head of global partnerships for Activision Blizzard Esports Leagues. “AB InBev and specifically Bud Light helped to create the notion of sports sponsorships as we know them today. We are thrilled to be partnering with a company that is all about the fans, as we are with the Overwatch League.”
The Overwatch League kicked off its 2019 season in February to a sold-out Blizzard Arena Los Angeles and 13 million global viewers in its opening week, a 30 percent increase in viewership year over year. Season matches for all 20 teams now are in full swing, with the Stage 2 Playoffs and Stage 2 Finals taking place May 9–12. For more information, visit overwatchleague.com.
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