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Arsenal signs first ever non-alcoholic beer partner
Arsenal FC has named the biggest non-alcoholic brewery in the US as the club’s first ever alcohol-free beer partner for both its men’s and women’s teams.
Athletic Brewing Company, America’s largest non-alcoholic brewery, today announced it has teamed up with Arsenal, becoming the club’s first Official Non-Alcoholic Beer Partner.
Starting this August, the partnership will see cans of Athletic’s award-winning Run Wild IPA available at Emirates Stadium for all men’s and women’s matches. Additionally, Run Wild IPA will be served on draught at the club level.
Bill Shufelt, co-Founder and CEO of Athletic, said the partnership was part of the brewer’s UK growth strategy. “Football is a sport that is a catalyst for community building, with fandom being passed down from one generation to the next. Our international footprint is expanding, and alcohol moderation is sweeping the globe, specifically among the next generation of consumers. This partnership represents an exciting milestone in our journey to revolutionise the way the world drinks,” he said.
He told db: “From day one at Athletic, we’ve invested heavily in our customers’ backyards, focusing on their communities and the activities they care about most. This is reflected in our Two for the Trails environmental grant program, which expanded globally in 2021, and continues with our ongoing international marketing investments. Since expanding the availability of Athletic at hundreds of Tesco locations in 2022, we’ve received an overwhelming number of messages from Arsenal supporters who wish to enjoy our brews at Emirates Stadium. We’re excited to elevate their matchday experience through this partnership and look forward to introducing Athletic to new customers around the world.”
The brand has said it also plans to invest in a marketing campaign featuring Arsenal players and will run a series of promotions, including in-stadium sampling activations, social media giveaways, and VIP supporter experiences to amplify the partnership.
Athletic’s partnership with Arsenal includes the club’s men’s and women’s teams. The company is riding the wave of popularity for women’s sport, which Shufelt said was “here to stay”.
A total of 60,160 fans watched Arsenal Women’s 3-1 win against Manchester United Women in February, beating the attendance record from the previous season which peaked at 47,367 fans for the team’s 4-0 win against Tottenham Hotspur Women in September 2022.
A win-win deal
Juliet Slot, Arsenal’s chief commercial officer, said new partners like Athletic “are vital in supporting our growth so we can continue to invest in our teams and compete for major trophies”.
Sales of non-alcoholic beer are on the rise in the UK, with spending on no-and-low alcohol beer surging by 38% on matchdays this summer.
Last month, Athletic launched the Ask For Athletic promotion at Mitchells & Butlers, a leading operator of restaurants and pubs in the UK, offering free cans of Run Wild IPA at participating All Bar One, Nicholson’s, and Castle Pub venues.
In July Athletic Brewing closed a US$50 million equity financing round led by General Atlantic. Read more here.
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