Badgers and beer no longer mix, on the radio
MADISON — Wisconsin football fans listening to games on the radio this fall will hear few, if any, beer ads for the first time in years.
The university has ended longstanding sponsorship agreements with MillerCoors and Anheuser-Busch InBev for advertising during Badgers sports broadcasts. The deals, which brought the university about $425,000 per year, were not renewed after a campus committee recommended doing away with them as part of its fight against binge drinking.
Chancellor Biddy Martin recently accepted the recommendation, which the athletics department had appealed for months, said Vince Sweeney, vice chancellor for university relations.
"It hurts the athletic department financially but they are stepping up and taking one for the team," Sweeney said.
The university’s new policy prohibits beer ads on its statewide radio network during football, men’s and women’s basketball and hockey broadcasts. Sweeney cautioned that fans may still hear the occasional beer ad during games if local stations sell the few spots they control to brewers.
The policy also prohibits beer ads during coaches’ television interview shows and in game programs but would allow beer companies to continue hosting tailgating tents before football games, Sweeney said. He said the policy would be revisited after this year.
Aug 27, 2009 at 6:20 p.m.
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SarahB1: LMAO!! Apparently playing "On Wisconsin" or "Roll Out the Barrel" makes the band's cravings kick into high gear also! LOL
Aug 27, 2009 at 12:55 a.m.
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The ads I can handle. It's the band playing "On Wisconsin" that sets off my beer cravings. Oops! Now, we may lose the band ...
Aug 26, 2009 at 9:25 p.m.
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How many students actually listen to the game on the radio? 3/4 of the campus is at every game (albeit not until halftime) and the other 1/4 of the student body couldn't care less about football because they are too busy trying to save the earth. I honestly can't believe cutting beer ads from the radio will have any affect on binge drinking.
Aug 26, 2009 at 9:20 p.m.
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Tyger02: you couldn't buy a beer at Camp Randall before anyhow! Get with the program and/or read the article.
I wonder if this means Bret Bielema will no longer be able to do his weekly radio show from The Great Dane!!??
Bet they raise tuition AGAIN to make up for this loss of revenue.
Aug 26, 2009 at 9:11 p.m.
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I wonder if they are going to stop selling beer at the Kohl Center too?
Aug 26, 2009 at 8:04 p.m.
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Yes 425,000 will be a big deal what if your ticket goes up 10 to make it up? I don't see the problem with beer advertising on the radio or tv. who many people at camp randall are or the kohl are listening to the radio?
Aug 26, 2009 at 6:31 p.m.
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So what you can't buy beer at camp randall what's the difference? It's a done deal so why whine about it. Will the $425K really make a difference on the field?
Aug 26, 2009 at 6:19 p.m.
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You can't mix beer with football!?? What's next, no hotdogs with apple pie?
Aug 26, 2009 at 5:33 p.m.
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Maybe they'll start advertising cigarette brands for the tobacco companies in the new open slots. That will for sure make everybody run out and get a carton of Marb Reds to go along with the Twelver. What a bunch of crap.
Aug 26, 2009 at 5:22 p.m.
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Well, Bascom Hall dropped the ball on this one. Do they think students are the only ones that drink? I agree though, I hear a spot and want to buy a 12 immediately. Stupid in my opinion. Where they gonna make up that revenue?
Aug 26, 2009 at 3:35 p.m.
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my thoughts exactly when i read this article chemical
Aug 26, 2009 at 3:32 p.m.
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yeah, because as soon as I hear a beer ad, I run right out and get myself a 12 pack and binge drink it.
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Binge drinking doesn't have much to do with advertisements but has a lot to do with the person drinking the beer.
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