Arsenal FC and America’s Athletic brewery to promote sobriety

United Kingdom | The Premier League club Arsenal FC inked a partnership with Athletic Brewing Company, America’s largest non-alcoholic brewery, which was founded in 2017. As part of the deal, the brand has been named Arsenal’s first official non-alcoholic beer partner, media reported on 7 August. The sponsorship deal will help Athletic expand its international footprint.

Since September 2023, Athletic’s beer have been available in the UK through an import and distribution deal with James Clay and Sons. This gained the US brand access to 5,000 UK venues.

As of August – and in time for the Premier League 2024/2025 season –, cans of Athletic’s award-winning Run Wild IPA are offered at the Emirates Stadium for all men’s and women’s matches. Furthermore, Run Wild IPA will be available on draft at the club level.

Non-alcoholic beer and whisky for Arsenal’s fans

But football fans need not go teetotal at the stadium. Chivas whisky (Pernod Ricard) has become the Gunners’ official whisky partner and will open a Chivas bar within the Emirates Stadium. So much for Arsenal FC embracing sobriety. Arsenal has a total of 27 sponsors, reports say.

Athletic’s high valuation

In July, Athletic Brewing closed a USD 50 million equity financing round led by General Atlantic, a private equity firm, which doubled its valuation to roughly USD 800 million. Not bad for a top 20 US brewery that had revenues of USD 90 million in 2023, when it sold over 258,000 barrels (300,000 hl) non-alcoholic beer, up from just 875 barrels in 2018.

Athletic plans to use the new capital to drive long-term growth, including the recently announced purchase of a third US brewery and the ongoing global expansion. The move also sees investor General Atlantic taking a seat on the company’s board.

Athletic currently operates three breweries, one in Milford, Connecticut, and two in San Diego, California, where it acquired the former Ballast Point brewery in June, which doubled Athletic’s brewing capacity.