Global brewer looks to do deals with new board appointment

ON THE FACE of it the appointment of another accountant to the board of SABMiller may be of little interest to sports marketers but the world’s second largest brewer is also home to some of the biggest brands in sponsorship: Miller (NHL), Grolsch, Castle (African Football) and Molson Coors (NFL) will invest approximately $30m in sport in 2011. The appointment of Domenic DeLorenzo to the board is a big hint that SABMiller is on an acquisition spree – he has overseen some of the company’s biggest deals to date – with Australia’s Fosters currently top of the hit list. Consolidation in any sector can lead to big brand names dropping out of sight but equally can be matched by big spending as global brands are pushed in to new markets. For properties looking for beer sponsors it’s a case of watch this space.