(Crain's) — The Chicago Bears have signed an exclusive sponsorship deal with Dr Pepper Snapple Group, ending a longtime relationship with Coca-Cola Co. at Soldier Field.
The seven-year deal, which sources say is worth $3 million annually, will make RC Cola, 7UP and Dr Pepper among the primary brands served at Bears games and give the Plano, Texas-based distributor lone beverage branding rights with the team.
As a part of the agreement, which will make Dr Pepper one of the team's nine top-tier "Hall of Fame" corporate sponsors, the Bears plan to open a new "Dr Pepper Patio" this season in the south stands of Soldier Field. The new area will include live entertainment, new food and beverage options and a lounge area among other amenities.
"We were very attracted to (Dr Pepper's) marketing acumen," said Chris Hibbs, the Bears' vice president of sales and marketing.
Mr. Hibbs said the team had no intention of leaving Coca-Cola after its most recent contract with the beverage giant ended in February, but Dr Pepper's strong demographic impact in Chicago made it a good fit.
"They really wanted this partnership, and they're going to activate around it. They're going to integrate the Bears with everything they do," said Mr. Hibbs. "You don't see every sports marketer doing it that way."
The deal, which will be announced on Tuesday, will also extend beyond Soldier Field. The soda company also will own sponsorship of the Bears' training camp program in Bourbonnais, where the brand "aligned well demographically" with those who attend each year, Mr. Hibbs said.
It also marks the first exclusive beverage deal with an NFL team for Dr Pepper, which is better known for its collegiate sports sponsorships.
The company has been the official sponsor of the NCAA Football Coaches' Trophy as well as ESPN college football programming, while its only other NFL sponsorship deal is with the Dallas Cowboys, which it shares with Pepsi.
"It's a great opportunity for us to put our brands in front of the huge audience that follows the Bears, both in the stadium and beyond Soldier Field," said Chris Barnes, corporate affairs manager at Dr Pepper Snapple Group.
Mr. Barnes said detailed advertising plans are still in the works.
The Bears are one of only a handful of NFL teams that miss out on potential revenue from naming rights to its stadium, forcing the team to find new ways to generate more non-football revenue through various sponsorship deals.
Soldier Field is owned and managed by the Chicago Park District, but the franchise owns the marketing rights and other revenue opportunities, including suites, ticket sales and advertising in and around the building.
Other Dr Pepper products include A&W Root Beer, Sunkist, Canada Dry, Deja Blue bottled water and Mott's apple juice.
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