Crown Royal Regal Apple Collabs with Legendary Baller Sue Bird to Celebrate Her Farewell Season and Inspire a New Generation of Champions

Crown Royal Regal Apple Flavored Whisky Pays Respect to Bird’s Career, Culture and Community Impact with a Limited-Edition Merch Drop in Partnership with Franchise to Support and Uplift Black Washingtonians zzubreebym

CHICAGO, IL July 11, 2022 – In basketball, game always recognizes game. Ahead of the break in gameplay this past weekend, Crown Royal Regal Apple paid tribute to the G.O.A.T., Sue Bird, and her self-expressive, trailblazing accomplishments that inspired millions on and off the court. The award-winning whisky brand partnered with Franchise to celebrate Bird, her connection to her adopted city of Seattle, the underrepresented communities she has championed on and off the court and her indelible imprint on sports made simply by being herself and inspiring a fresh new generation of leaders to do the same.

Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/9067651-crown-royal-regal-apple-and-sue-bird-collab-to-celebrate-her-farewell-season/

In conjunction with long-awaited Franchise Issue 07 launch, Crown Royal Regal Apple gave Bird her flowers this past Friday with a star-studded affair in Chicago. The event took a break from all the exciting happenings on the court and unveiled the latest issue of the mag, spotlighting Bird with a cover designed by artist Chris Lloyd. Attendees at the event got a sneak peek at the behind-the-scenes content in the magazine highlighting Bird’s game-changing career and the limited-edition Crown Royal Regal Apple x Franchise merch that will be available at thisisfranchise.com.

"This game has given me more than I could ever imagine. I’ve worked so hard to get to this level and I really want to give back and support the communities that have had my back all this time," said Bird. "Our fans live and breathe basketball and inspire me every day to bring my own style to the court. That’s why this partnership means so much to me. We’re celebrating the freshness of the game and the people who make it special."

Crown Royal Regal Apple recently expanded its support of women’s basketball teams and players, with the Atlanta Dream and as An Official Spirit of the hometown team, the Chicago Sky, and champions the changemakers who hold it down on and off the court. The exclusive content highlights the influence Bird has had on basketball, its culture and empowering future pioneers.

"Crown Royal Regal Apple is all about self-expression, on and off the court," said Nicky Heckles, Vice President of Crown Royal. "Like Sue, we are proud to champion and encourage trailblazers everywhere to stay fresh and give back to the communities they influence and serve every day."

The Franchise collab features a custom green Crown Royal Regal Apple bag that pays homage to #10 Sue Bird and her final season, including branded elements from Crown and Franchise Issue 07 along with Bird’s unmistakable signature. Fans 21+ can cop this one-of-a-kind showpiece as part of a limited run of 200 bespoke pieces available at thisisfranchise.com that also includes the latest issue of the magazine, and ingredients for the Royal Dime, a curated Sue Bird x Crown Royal Regal Apple cocktail.

For each piece produced, Crown Royal is donating $100 to the Black Future Co-op Fund†, for a total of $20,000.* The Black Future Co-op Fund is Washington State’s first Black-led philanthropic organization, and is uniquely positioned to lead transformational change with Black Washingtonians. This is done in part through the group’s ‘We See You’ grants that acknowledge the vital work being done every day by Black leaders on behalf of Black Washingtonians.

"We have seen how truly impactful the player-activists in Seattle have been in the Black community, with Sue and her teammates — past and present — working to amplify Black women’s efforts and be a force for change," said T’wina Nobles, Chief Executive Officer at Black Future Co-op Fund. "We greatly appreciate the support of Sue and Crown Royal Regal Apple to lift up and invest in the Black Future Co-op Fund, helping us to create for ourselves a new model of philanthropy that ignites Black generational wealth, health, and well-being throughout the state."

For the remainder of this farewell season, Crown Royal Regal Apple will continue to open up Bird’s diary on social channels to share behind-the-scenes content and recognize the influence she’s had and will continue to have on the culture of the game as a culmination of the legacy she is leaving behind.

In honor of #10 Sue Bird and other inspirational game changers to follow, 21+ fans should enjoy Crown Royal Regal Apple responsibly.

† Created by and for Black Washingtonians, the Black Future Co-op Fund is a new paradigm for philanthropy to ignite Black wealth, health, and well-being over generations. Through intentional investment, the Fund works to connect Black communities for collective power, promote a truthful Black narrative, and uplift Black-led solutions that foster Black generational prosperity. For more information, visit blackfuturewa.org. The Black Future Co-Op Fund is a component of Seattle Foundation. www.seattlefoundation.org.

*For each piece of art produced, Crown Royal is donating $100 to the Black Future Co-Op Fund, for a total of $20,000.

About Crown Royal

Crown Royal Canadian Whisky is the number-one selling Canadian whisky brand in the world and has a tradition as long and distinctive as its taste. Specially blended to commemorate a grand tour of Canada made by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain in 1939, Crown Royal’s smooth, elegant flavor and gift-worthy presentation reflect its regal origins – it is considered the epitome of Canadian whisky. For more information, visit crownroyal.com. Crown Royal encourages all consumers to please enjoy responsibly.

About Diageo North America

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan’s whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Casamigos, DeLeon and Don Julio tequilas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE: DGE) and their products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world.

For more information about Diageo, their people, brands, and performance, visit diageo.com. Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice. Follow on Twitter and Instagram for news and information about Diageo North America: @Diageo_NA.