Simply Spiked’s summer plans go big on sports with ESPN partnership

By Nick Kindelsperger,

✓ Simply Spiked is staking out a spot in sports with a partnership with ESPN
✓ The brand is setting the tone for flavor innovations
✓ Simply Spiked Limeade is off to a hot start

Simply Spiked® is heading into summer with a packed schedule featuring new partnerships with ESPN, a national campaign with actor and comedian Ron Funches and a focus on sports sponsorships. 

“We are always thinking about how we can release something new and fresh, especially in the summer, which is particularly pivotal for flavored alcohol beverages,” says Josh McDonald, senior marketing manager for Simply Spiked.

Though only 2 years old, driving invention in the flavor category has become nearly routine for the brand, with Simply Spiked Lemonade and Simply Spiked Peach both top flavor innovations of 2022 and 2023 in U.S. food, respectively according to Circana. Limeade, its latest flavor, launched this January and McDonald says it’s off to a great start.  

“We’ve tapped into something consumers are looking for, with a trusted brand, great flavor and a brand personality to match,” says McDonald

And Simply Spiked isn’t resting as it heads into the summer.  

“Summer is the No. 1 season when consumers choose FABs,” says McDonald. “So we have some impactful plans to keep the brand in the spotlight.” 

That includes its national campaign with actor and comedian Ron Funches, which first aired nationally on TV and digital formats early this year. “He’s our tried-and-true partner,” says McDonald. “We worked with him on the launch of Simply Spiked Peach and Limeade, so we are thrilled to have him back.” 

‘The Juiciest Moments in Sports’

Simply Spiked continues its fruitful partnership with ESPN with even more planned this year. “We wanted to get a major partner and lean in with them,” says McDonald. 

The brand features on a regular segment on the popular morning sports talk show, “Get Up!” called “The Juiciest Moments in Sports.”  

“The videos feature sports recaps and highlights, focusing on the uplifting and positive side of the games,” says McDonald. 

This partnership’s biggest platform happens at The ESPYs, an award show celebrating the greatest athletes and sports moments of the year, taking place on Thursday, July 11, where Simply Spiked will have a visible presence, including sponsoring the award for the Best Male Athlete.  

For those who’d like to see the award show in person, Simply Spiked is also offering a sweepstakes where legal drinking-age consumers can enter for a chance to win a trip to attend The 2024 ESPYs. Other prizes include three-month subscriptions to ESPN+. 

Simply Spiked is also showing up around numerous sporting events during summer, including as a sponsor of the UFL, the new American football league that plays in the spring, and the BIG3, the professional 3-on-3 basketball league founded by Ice Cube and Jeff Kwantinetz. 

McDonald says the brand has focused on sports because that’s where its customers are. “We are very in tune with our drinker base and love to meet them where they are most engaged,” he says. “It’s hard to believe, but the brand is not even 2 years old. We are feeling optimistic about the long-term trajectory of Simply Spiked.”