Constellation Inks Deal with Barclays Center, Ballast Point Named Official Craft Beer

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Constellation Brands has negotiated its “most comprehensive arena sponsorship” for popular Corona, Modelo and Ballast Point beer brands, yesterday announcing the signing of a lucrative “marketing alliance” with Barclays Center and the Brooklyn Nets.

As part of the deal, Ballast Point — which sold to Constellation for $1 billion last November — will become the “official craft beer sponsor of Barclays Center,” and receive its own branded bar on the main concourse, the company said via a press release.

Corona Extra and Model Especial, meanwhile, have also respectively been named as the “official import beer sponsor of Barclays Center” and the “official import beer sponsor of the Brooklyn Nets.”

“Barclays Center has become a modern icon in the sports and music world – a truly can`t-miss venue for entertainment,” Jim Sabia, chief marketing officer for Constellation Brands’ Beer Division said via the release. “We`re thrilled to align with Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment to further promote and build our iconic Corona Extra and Modelo Especial brands in Brooklyn.”

A press release with additional information is included below.

BROOKLYN, Nov. 7, 2016 – Constellation Brands is announcing its most comprehensive arena sponsorship for Corona Extra, Modelo Especial and Ballast Point by aligning with Barclays Center. The agreement, which also includes a sponsorship of the Brooklyn Nets, features three individually branded bars at Barclays Center, “official beer” marketing designations and a wide-ranging array of marketing assets.

The new marketing alliance between Constellation Brands, a leading producer and marketer of beer, wine and spirits, and Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, which controls and manages Barclays Center and the Nets, has designated Corona Extra as the Official Import Beer Sponsor of Barclays Center, Modelo Especial as the Official Import Beer Sponsor of the Brooklyn Nets, and Ballast Point as an Official Craft Beer Sponsor of Barclays Center.

Corona Extra will bring the beach to Barclays Center with the Corona Extra Beach House Bar, which will be located on the main concourse. The soon-to-open branded bar will have a beach-like aesthetic, with island imagery and décor.

Casa Modelo, a Modelo Especial branded bar will be open soon on the upper concourse. The bar will feature a fusion of Brooklyn and Mexican imagery and décor.

A Ballast Point branded bar will be located on Barclays Center`s main concourse.

Corona Extra and Modelo Especial are the nation`s number one and number two imported beers, respectively. Ballast Point is one of the fastest-growing craft brands in the country, featuring dozens of unique and distinctive styles of beer.

Corona Extra and Modelo Especial will receive marketing exposure during a wide variety of programming events at Barclays Center, including Brooklyn Nets games, as well as through digital platforms and in-arena signage.

Highlights of the sponsorship include marketing exclusivity in the imported beer category for Corona Extra and Modelo Especial, along with:

Corona Extra

  • Prominent indoor and outdoor arena signage
  • In-arena brand activations
  • Corona Extra Beach House branded bar on the main concourse
  • Brand exposure during Barclays Center BROOKLYN SHOW and BROOKLYN BOXING events.
  • Consumer VIP ticket experiences for select Barclays Center events

Modelo Especial

  • Modelo Especial branded bar, Casa Modelo, on upper concourse
  • In-arena game-night activations
  • Use of the Nets` marks at point-of-sale
  • Consumer VIP courtside experiences for select games

Ballast Point

  • Ballast Point branded bar on the main concourse

“Barclays Center has become a modern icon in the sports and music world – a truly can`t-miss venue for entertainment,” said Jim Sabia, chief marketing officer for Constellation Brands` Beer Division. “We`re thrilled to align with Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment to further promote and build our iconic Corona Extra and Modelo Especial brands in Brooklyn.”

“We are delighted that Constellations Brands sees the exposure and brand-building opportunities for Corona Extra, Modelo Especial, and Ballast Point by forming an alliance with BSE,” said Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment EVP of Global Partnerships Mike Zavodsky.

As the number one imported beer in the U.S., Corona Extra sold more than 116M cases in 2015 and next year will mark the brand`s 20th year in the top spot for the import beer category.

Modelo Especial is the fastest-growing beer and the number two imported beer in America. Last year, the brand sold more than 73MM cases.

Corona Extra

Corona Extra is a pilsner-style lager with a golden hue that was first brewed in Mexico in 1925. The refreshing flavor and carefree attitude of Corona have made it the #1 imported beer in the U.S. and the #5 beer brand overall. Corona has been helping consumers “Find their Beach” in the U.S. since 1981. Corona Extra is exclusively brewed, imported and marketed by Constellation Brands for the U.S. market.

Modelo Especial

Modelo Especial is a golden, full-flavored Pilsner-style Lager with a clean, crisp finish whose original recipe was first brewed under the vision to create a `model` beer. As the #2 imported beer in the U.S., more than 73MM cases of Modelo Especial were sold in 2015. Modelo Especial is exclusively brewed, imported and marketed by Constellation Brands for the U.S. market.

Ballast Point

What started in 1996 as a small group of home brewers who simply wanted to make great beer evolved into a team of adventurers known today as Ballast Point. From bringing a hoppy twist to a porter, or adding four types of malt to its amber ale, to creating a breakthrough gold medal winning IPA, the San Diego-based company is known for adding its own touch and asking if there`s a better way. Today as an internationally recognized leader in the craft brewing and spirits industry, the company makes over 40 styles of beer.