As sports fans across the US prepare to watch Kansas City Chiefs face off against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 54 this weekend, millions will be getting ready to host their own parties and food and drink will take center stage. According to data from analyst Nielsen, beer is yet ag
ain the most popular drink.
Last year, in the two weeks leading up to the Super Bowl $1.2bn worth of beer was sold off-premise – by comparison, wine accounted for $625m and distilled spirits $568m.
To put it into context, that same $1.2bn spent on beer could purchase 192,554 tickets to Super Bowl LIV at an average ticket cost of $6,232.
Alcohol of choice
“As millions gather around their televisions to cheer on their favorite football team this Sunday, there’s one thing we can all agree on – beer is the beverage alcohol of choice for Super Bowl parties,” says Jim McGreevy, president and CEO of the Beer Institute, the national trade association for the American brewing industry.
“Since Super Bowl I in 1967, football and beer have been inextricably linked, and there has never been a better time to be a beer consumer in the United States – with more than 7,000 breweries producing tasty, exciting, innovative products in every corner of our nation. The Beer Institute encourages everyone celebrating with beer this weekend to enjoy responsibly.”
As far as the beer package mix is concerned, the research found that 58.8% of beers sold were in aluminium cans, continued to be the most frequently purchased with glass bottles making up 37.4% of beers. Aluminium bottles were a distant third with 3.3% and plastic bottles even smaller part at 0.3%.
Super Bowl sustainability
Meanwhile at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on game day, organizers are making further strides in the zero-waste drive that they kicked off at the Super Bowl 2018. This year organizers announced that 50,000 aluminium cups will be introduced in an effort to eliminate the plastic cups that are usually used.
A partnership between Centerplate, the hospitality partner to sports entertainment venues, Ball Corporation, which manufactures the aluminium cups and official NFL beer Bud Light will see the recyclable cups rolled out in the stadium throughout the year for Miami Dolphins games.
“We developed the aluminium cup to ensure it meets growing demand for more green products, and we’re excited that our partnership will give this year’s Super Bowl fans the opportunity to do better by the environment,” said John A. Hayes, Ball’s chairman, president and chief executive officer.
Tina Nielsen
