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A16 SPORTS
Tuesday 25 February 2025
College sports put a twist on team spirit, with signature brews at
games and grocers
By STEVE MEGARGEE The number of Learfield
AP Sports Writer schools with licensing deals
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Missy specifically with craft beers
Vraney and Kristin West- has more than doubled in
phal didn’t go to Mar- that time – from 16 in 2023
quette. Neither did any to 36 this year.
of their relatives. Yet their Cory Moss, Learfield’s
family tradition of attend- president of brand man-
ing Golden Eagles basket- agement and marketing,
ball games spans genera- acknowledges he would
tions. have been surprised by this
“Whenever our uncle kind of growth four or five
couldn’t go, our dad would years ago. Then he started
take one of us and just kind noticing more interest from
of alternate,” Vraney re- the schools themselves
calls. and from various local
They’re still supporting the craft breweries wanting to
school regularly just in establish partnerships.
beer money rather than tu- “When schools got really
ition fees. It happens every behind it and the craft in-
time they buy a Marquette dustry really started to take
Golden Ale before head- Jimmy Gross serves Jonathon Holdway some Third Space Marquette beer before an NCAA it seriously, that’s when it re-
ing to the Fiserv Forum college basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in Milwaukee. ally started to grow,” Moss
stands. Associated Press said. “And that growth
hasn’t been surprising.”
This marks the first season It represents a major
since Marquette entered change in the college
a partnership with Milwau- sports landscape, consid-
kee-based Third Space ering how many schools
Brewing to sell Marquette weren’t even selling alco-
Golden Ale the school’s holic beverages at their
officially licensed and co- athletic events not so long
branded craft beer at ago. The Southeastern
Golden Eagles sporting Conference didn’t permit
events as well as in Third the sales of beer and wine
Space outlets and area at sporting events until
groceries. 2019.
As part of the deal, 15% of That policy change
the revenues go back to spurred Tennessee and
Marquette. other SEC programs to start
“People are extremely ex- getting local breweries
cited about it,” said Andy to launch signature beers
Gehl, the co-founder and that could be sold at their
president of Third Space games as well as in stores
Brewing. or tap rooms off campus.
“People love drinking beer Tennessee partnered with
with their favorite school, Knoxville-based Yee-Haw
their favorite sports team’s Brewing Company last
logo on it. That’s No. 1. summer to make Vol Lager
Also, they want to support the exclusive craft beer of
businesses that support the Tennessee Volunteers.
their university, and vice “I think for the distributors
versa.” and even the companies
This has become the latest to get a return on their in-
fund-raising trend for col- vestment in terms of the
lege athletics. sponsorship, being able to
Learfield, which manages sell it within the venues is
sports sponsorships for over a big deal because when
160 universities and licens- our fans can see it 100,000
ing agreements for nearly people walking into Ney-
800 colleges, says that 93 land Stadium they might
of its schools had licensing grow fan affinity to buy it
deals for alcoholic bever- at the grocery store also,”
ages for the first six months said Alicia Longworth, Ten-
of the current fiscal year. nessee’s deputy athletics
That’s a 57.6% rise from fis- director/chief marketing
cal year 2023, when 59 officer.
schools had deals for their “With the timing, it was
own signature alcoholic good for the business and
beverage. it was good for us.”q
