• Brandweek, Wednesday, December 20, 2006 11:45 AM

NASCAR is searching for a replacement title sponsor after Anheuser-Busch announced this week that it will not renew its sponsorship of the Busch Series when its contract expires in 2007. The Busch Series officially began in 1984, but NASCAR's alliances with the company date back to the 1950s.

ESPN, which replaces NBC as a NASCAR broadcast partner in 2007, will join in the search for a new national brand to promote the series. Analysts said title sponsorship could go for between $35 million to $40 million per year, which is estimated to be at least three times the current deal.

"It's a significant opportunity for a company to gain $100 million in brand exposure," says Andrew Giangola, NASCAR's director of business communications. "It's a unique situation, because the company is literally branded to the sport."

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