Athletic Brewing Named Official Non-Alcoholic Beer of NHL in Canada
The multiyear deal makes Athletic the league's first dedicated non-alcoholic beer partner, with a debut at the Heritage Classic in Winnipeg.
Athletic Brewing Company has become an official non-alcoholic beer partner of the NHL in Canada under a multiyear agreement announced Thursday, Oct. 8. The league said Athletic is its first partner dedicated to non-alcoholic beer.
The agreement includes advertising, retail promotions and activities at NHL events, along with custom content and a planned Stanley Cup Final sweepstakes for Canadian fans. Co-branded packaging and displays will appear in stores.
Athletic will promote the partnership at the Heritage Classic in Winnipeg on Oct. 25, with product sampling, signs in the stadium, an on-ice logo and advertising on the digital boards during Sportsnet's broadcast. Its beers will be available at selected concessions and hospitality areas.
The partners also plan a national retail campaign aimed at adult amateur hockey players and leagues.
Athletic co-founder and chief executive Bill Shufelt said the agreement would introduce the company's beers to more Canadian consumers. Max Paulsen, the NHL's vice president of global business development, said the partners would develop programmes for fans watching games and playing hockey.
The brewer entered Canadian retail in 2022 and says its products are now sold in more than 2,500 outlets across the country.
