The major commercial tie-up between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and global drinks heavyweight Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) has been extended through 2032.
This adds to the initial TOP (Worldwide Olympic Partner) partnership between the two bodies, which was announced last January – ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics – and had been set to run through the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina and the 2028 summer games in Los Angeles.
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The new deal will now also cover the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps, and the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane, Australia.
The tie-up also includes International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and Paralympic Games marketing rights, through the long-term IOC-IPC collaboration regarding commercial agreements.
Specifically, the Corona Cero non-alcoholic brand will continue as the global beer sponsor of the Olympics, while in the US specifically, the Michelob Ultra light beer will be the chosen partner brand.
Michelob Ultra’s primary position in the US is because the rights to import and sell Corona in the country are held by Constellation Brands, not AB InBev, therefore disqualifying InBev from promoting the beer in the market.
The announcement coincided with the reveal that AB InBev’s Michelob Ultra brand is partnering with the US Olympic Team, also through to 2028.
Thomas Bach, president of the IOC, said: “After experiencing their first Olympic Games as a Worldwide Olympic Partner in Paris last summer, the AB InBev team impressed us – and delighted fans across the world – with amazing celebrations of the Olympic Games through their Corona Cero marketing campaigns. This was achieved in record time, since the partnership was formalized only six months before the opening ceremony.”
In terms of IOC commercial activity, last week saw Chinese television and consumer electronics manufacturer TCL announced as the latest Worldwide Olympic Partner.
TCL becomes a partner through 2032 in the home audiovisual equipment and home appliances category.
The brand's entry into the TOP IOC sponsor program comes after three Japanese brand heavyweights – Toyota, Bridgestone, and Panasonic – all let their Olympic sponsorship deals expire at the end of 2024.
Other ‘TOP’ IOC commercial partners include AB InBev, Airbnb, Alibaba, Allianz, Atos, Coca-Cola, Deloitte, Intel, Omega, P&G, Samsung, and Visa.
During the last Olympic cycle, the 15 TOP partners contributed around 30% of the Swiss body’s total income.
Elsewhere, AB InBev is also a significant partner of soccer's global governing body FIFA, through 2026. The FIFA World Cup element of that tie-up has been valued at $20 million annually by GlobalData Sport.
