Major League Baseball franchise the Chicago Cubs has entered into a partnership with bourbon whiskey brand Jim Beam.
The multi-year deal names spirits company Beam Suntory, which is in the process of moving its headquarters to Chicago, as the official spirits partner of the reigning World Series champions and the team’s Wrigley Field ballpark.
Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but the Chicago Tribune newspaper reported that the deal would be “in the ballpark of seven figures annually” and run for at least 10 years.
The exclusive sponsorship agreement will feature multiple Beam Suntory brands, including Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark Bourbon, Effen Vodka and Hornitos Premium Tequila.
The deal grants Jim Beam naming rights to the new first base club at Wrigley Field, and a new left-field bar concept at Sloan Park, the Cubs’ spring training facility in Mesa, Arizona.
Under the agreement, the upper-deck patio area at Wrigley Field will be Jim Beam-branded for a two-year period ahead of the space’s transition to an upper-level club. The existing Hornitos Hacienda will remain in place in the left-field bleachers.
Jim Beam will benefit from in-game signage behind the home plate, on the video board and along the third-base wall at Wrigley Field. It will also serve as the presenting sponsor of a range of promotional giveaways and activations at Wrigley Field and Sloan Park.
Maker’s Mark is celebrating the partnership by launching a Cubs-themed, limited-edition bottle, which will be available in stores throughout the Chicagoland area. Jim Beam will release a Cubs co-branded offering in the coming months.
“Our organisation and fans value partners who have a strong commitment to Chicago,” Cubs president of business operations Crane Kenney said. “Jim Beam has made its commitment clear by calling Chicago home and making an investment in the Cubs to help ensure our long-term success.”
Beam Suntory becomes the Cubs’ 11th legacy partner, joining Advocate Health Care, American Airlines, Anheuser-Busch, ATI Physical Therapy, Nuveen, Sloan Valve Company, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Toyota, Under Armour and Wintrust.