AB InBev is set to become the brewery sponsor of the Champions League. The agreement would take away from Heineken the main advertising space for the sector in the competition after a three-decade partnership. The information was published by The Athletic and confirmed by InfoMoney.
The brewery that owns Ambev () is in exclusive negotiations with UC3, a joint venture formed by UEFA and a group of elite European football clubs, the European Football Clubs (EFC). Under the contract, the partnership would come into effect from 2027 and would last for six years, until 2033, for all UEFA men’s club competitions, organizer of the Champions League, and would value the current contract with Heineken by more than 60% per year.
AB InBev would have offered 200 million euros per year to have its brands displayed at the tournament and the right to commercially exploit UEFA championships. Heineken’s most recent contract is valued at 120 million euros annually.
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Regionally, Ambev would have the rights to exploit the image and brand of the Champions League and activate its beer brands locally. The brewery calculated in its results release this Thursday (30) that it had gained 15% market share in premium and super premium categories, which would make brands such as Original, the Stella family and Corona gain leadership in the Heineken segment.
The Dutch brewery confirmed in a note published on its website the end of its partnership with the Champions League and said it anticipated the moment. “We still have two more years to consolidate our sponsorship of the Champions League and keep the association with the Heineken brand in people’s minds for many years to come,” says the company.
Last Wednesday (29), UC3 confirmed that it had entered into an exclusive negotiation process with AB InBev. According to the joint venture, the decision followed a competition launched in October and corroborated by global marketing and sales agency Relevant Football Partners.
