Many Milwaukeeans may be miffed that the Milwaukee Mile announced a sponsorship deal today with Beechwood Distributing, one of Wisconsin's largest Anheuser-Busch distributors.
This deal does not an include "exclusive pour rights," so thirsty race fans who favor a more local product still we be able to find Miller Genuine Draft and Lite.
It's just that the Mile is now one of the few places in Milwaukee where Budweiser will dominate the landscape in terms of signage and presence. Can you imagine that happening at Summerfest or, gulp, Miller Park?
Budweiser has long ties with the racing fans and even the Wisconsin State Fair, where the Budweiser Pavilion has been a staple. But, it seems strange for the St. Louis company to be the primary brewer at a major Milwaukee venue.
While some may view this as a shrewd move by the Mile and a business coup for Beechwood Distributing, others may sense a distressing lack of loyalty and urgency from Miller, which is merging with Coors and likely to move its headquarters to Chicago.
Host of “The Drew Olson Show,” which airs 1-3 p.m. weekdays on The Big 902. Sidekick on “The Mike Heller Show,” airing weekdays on The Big 920 and a statewide network including stations in Madison, Appleton and Wausau. Co-author of Bill Schroeder’s “If These Walls Could Talk: Milwaukee Brewers” on Triumph Books. Co-host of “Big 12 Sports Saturday,” which airs Saturdays during football season on WISN-12. Former senior editor at OnMilwaukee.com. Former reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
