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MillerCoors Replaces A-B At Chicago's Toyota Park

MillerCoors is replacing Anheuser-Busch InBev as the domestic beer sponsor at Toyota Park, where Major League Soccer's Chicago Fire play. The focal point of the two-year deal is an all-you-can-eat-and-drink pavilion that will be restricted to fans who buy multi-game or season ticket packages in the stadium's south side, Mary Ellen Podmolik and Mike Hughlett report. The deal is with the venue and not the team because A-B is the official beer sponsor of MLS.

The man behind the marketing is Dave Greeley, the former CMO of the Chicago Bears who was appointed Chicago Fire president in August. He had worked a similar partnership with Miller for Soldier Field. The Toyota Park pavilion is 2½ times larger, however, and will hold nearly 700 people. Pre-game entertainment will include radio remote broadcasts, disc jockeys and the Miller Lite Girls.

Marketing experts say Toyota Park's approach is novel, if a bit risky. William Chipps, senior editor of the IEG Sponsorship Report, says companies like MillerCoors often try to go "overboard on touting responsible drinking. This seems to go against that message."?MillerCoors spokesman Julian Green says the brewer is supplying the beer but it is up to the stadium "to ensure that customers are not overserved."

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