Miller Lite Renews CONCACAF Gold Cup Alliance, Expands Partnership To Champions League

CHICAGO, Feb. 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — MillerCoors and the Confederation of North, Central America and the Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) today announced a multi-year agreement that strengthens the long-standing partnership between Miller Lite and CONCACAF.

Miller Lite will be the global exclusive beer sponsor of the 2013 Gold Cup™, CONCACAF’s premier national team tournament; Miller Lite has sponsored the tournament since 2005. The brand also will bring Miller Time to legal-drinking-age soccer fans across the United States as the exclusive U.S. sponsor of the confederation’s club team tournament, the CONCACAF Champions League™. The CONCACAF Champions League partnership covers the 2013/14 and 2014/15 tournaments.

"We are excited to have Miller Lite partnering again with CONCACAF supporting our top two tournaments," said CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb . "Miller Lite’s history and commitment to the sport in our region has left tangible benefits, including increased awareness of our events thanks to their unique activation and promotional strategies."

Under terms of the agreement, Miller Lite receives rights to use the tournaments’ intellectual property for advertising and marketing materials, as well as packaging, consumer promotions, signage and video features at tournament games. The deal also features the presentation of the Gold Cup "Miller Lite MVP" award and inclusion in the tournaments’ promotional marketing materials. As part of its commitment to promoting responsible fan behavior, Miller Lite also will bring the Designated Driver program, popular at sports arenas around the country, to Gold Cup stadiums, encouraging soccer fans to plan ahead for a safe ride home from the match with a designated driver. Fans who pledge to be responsible and never drive drunk can also receive a free cab voucher to help them get home safely.

"Miller Time is all about bringing good friends together for great times over a beer, which is why the Gold Cup and Champions League tournaments are such a perfect fit for Miller Lite," said Rudy Rodriguez , senior director of multicultural marketing for MillerCoors. "CONCACAF has done a great job of building two special events that bring out the passion soccer fans have for their favorite teams. We look forward to being part of the celebration, whether you’re watching the game in the stadium, at a bar or in your living room with all your buddies."

Traffic Sports, the commercial agency for CONCACAF, led the negotiation to renew and expand the partnership with Miller Lite. CONCACAF and Traffic are committed to building on the momentum of the region’s two most important soccer tournaments, with Gold Cup building fan excitement leading into the start of the Champions League tournament.

Taking place every two years, the Gold Cup™ has become the region’s most popular soccer event, routinely drawing capacity crowds and millions of TV viewers across the region. Featuring the best players from CONCACAF’s three sub-regions, the tournament has grown into a 12-nation championship that capitalizes upon the passion fans have for their national teams.

The Champions League™, an annual tournament that runs from July through April or early May of the following year, is the confederation’s international championship for clubs. The winner of this competition qualifies for the prestigious FIFA Club World Cup.

In addition to its partnership with CONCACAF, Miller Lite is the official U.S. beer sponsor of Chivas de Guadalajara , the premier team in Mexico’s LigaMX.

PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1A3Qs)