Modelo, the Mexico-based beer brand, has signed up to become a commercial partner of US college sports' NCAA governing body.
Through a tie-up made public yesterday, Constellation Brands-owned Modelo becomes the first official beer partner of that collegiate sporting body. This adds, in terms of a college sports presence, to Modelo's existing deal with the College Football Playoffs, and its specific individual partnerships with 28 NCAA member schools.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
The NCAA is now able to bring alcohol brands in as sponsors (and to have alcohol advertised during its championship events), after a long-running ban was lifted at the start of July. The ban has been lifted as part of efforts to generate an extra $300 million in revenue for the NCAA, over the next six years.
The March Madness high-profile college basketball tournament will act as the centerpiece of this partnership, with Modelo set to advertise around that time period across broadcast, digital, and social media channels.
Modelo will have exclusive rights in the beer category to activate across NCAA domestic broadcasts, while it now also holds rights to use official NCAA marks and logos in its retail programming and consumer promotions.
In addition, the brand will activate at select NCAA championship events, as well as in "priority markets."
Finally, Modelo now holds exclusive ready-to-drink (RTD) sponsorship rights. As such, RTD brand SpikedAde – bought up by Constellation Brands last month – will be promoted.
Mallika Monteiro, executive vice president and managing director of beer brands at Constellation Brands, commented: "Few things inspire the pride, dedication and fighting spirit quite like we see in college sports fans, and Modelo has spent years building a presence alongside them at the biggest moments."
Outside of college sports, Modelo also sponsors multiple Major League Soccer franchises, including Inter Miami, Atlanta United, and LAFC.
Earlier this year, it sponsored coverage of soccer's 2026 FIFA World Cup – held across Mexico, the US, and Canada – on US Spanish-language broadcaster Telemundo.
In terms of NCAA activity, meanwhile, late August saw the organization announce a wide-ranging new agreement with the sports media and marketing technology firm Playfly Sports, which has now become an NCAA sponsorship sales agent.
Elsewhere in college sports, the University of Washington, in that US state, has brought in Columbia Bank as the new title sponsor for its college football program home stadium.
That venue – from January 1 – will be called the Columbia Bank Stadium, while the bank has also become the fourth 'signature partner' – the top level of sponsor – for Washington University. It joins Pepsico, Starbucks, and Alaska Airlines, as a signature partner.
Columbia Bank has become an exclusive partner of the Washington Athletics program, in addition.
It also plans to engage with student athletes there around financial education and management.
The university has worked with the One Roof Sports & Entertainment agency to develop the partnership deal.
Robert J. Jones, president at the University of Washington, commented: "This is the kind of partnership great public universities should be building. It brings together two institutions with deep roots in Washington and creates opportunities that extend well beyond athletics."
