How nonalcoholic brands are reaching a new generation of sports fans through CTV
Illustration by Sarah Kim / Getty / Shutterstock / The Current
Connected TV (CTV) is becoming the go-to play for beer brands trying to reach the next generation of sports fans — especially in the fast-growing nonalcoholic category.
“We gravitate towards where our audiences are watching,” says Andrew Katz, CMO at Athletic Brewing Company, the largest nonalcoholic U.S. brewery. “They tend to be younger; they tend to be streaming-first as opposed to cable-first.”
In short, it’s changing how beer brands think about media. Firestone Walker Brewing Company CMO Dustin Hinz says CTV has been a game changer.
“It’s made it a hell of a lot easier to get more geotargeted,” he said during a recent appearance on The Current Podcast, noting that a huge share of their drinkers are passionate sports fans.
And the timing couldn’t be better. Nonalcoholic beer sales grew more than 27% in 2024 compared to the prior year, fueled by younger consumers drinking less alcohol and focused on wellness. That trend is reshaping sports and sponsorships — and the media strategies that go with it.
The world’s largest brewer, AB InBev, is leaning in. The company reported a 34% spike in revenue from its no-alcohol beer portfolio in Q1 2025. Corona Cero, its global zero-alcohol lager, has emerged as a cornerstone of its sports and media strategy. Already the official beer sponsor of the 2024 Olympics, the brand will maintain that role through the 2026 and 2028 Games — supported by digital campaigns running in more than 40 countries.
AB InBev is also expanding across streaming platforms, including early placements on Netflix and likely integrations tied to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where it holds a long-standing sponsorship.
Tentpole events like the Super Bowl are adapting to changing tastes: Anheuser-Busch has advertised in the game since 1975. But one of the brands it showcased this year included the nonalcoholic Michelob Ultra Zero. Meanwhile, Firestone’s NA brand, 8Zero5, is partnering with a motocross racer to reach fans beyond the big leagues.
From the fluid fan to the diehard
According to Gina Waldhorn, CMO of Sports Innovation Lab, 65% of people who subscribe to sports-centric services, like ESPN+ and Fubo TV, say they have spent money in the last three years on Athletic beverages.
Waldhorn suspects that’s due to a combination of longtime fans being more open to nonalcoholic beverages as well as streaming platforms making plays for what she calls younger “fluid” fans.
“We’re seeing more and more fans enter sports fandom through nontraditional gateways” like gaming, live entertainment and health-conscious athlete influencers, Waldhorn says. “They show up for a different experience.”
But it’s not just so-called fluid fans driving the trend. Twenty percent of traditional MLB fans and 14% of NFL fans have bought nonalcoholic beer over the last three years, according to Waldhorn.
“If I’m the head of media [for a nonalcoholic brand], I’m spending a lot on streaming to target fans,” Waldhorn says. “They are there.”
Just getting started
It’s not just CTV investment that nonalcohol brands are eyeing. Those actively buying sponsorship deals with major sports have grown 135% over the last two years, according to SponsorUnited data provided to The Current.
In addition to Corona Cero’s Olympic partnership, Athletic Brewing has cemented its presence in European football as the official nonalcoholic beer partner of the Premier League football club Arsenal. Meanwhile, Heineken 0.0 has made major inroads in motorsport, serving as a global sponsor of Formula 1 and activating campaigns that promote moderation and zero-alcohol alternatives trackside and across digital platforms.
“We think of our sports investments along a continuum,” Katz says. “There’s a long tail and fandom comes in many forms.”
The emergence of nonalcoholic brands in sports could also open greater opportunities for brand and athlete partnerships. NFL players, for instance, aren’t allowed to endorse alcoholic beer; star Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has found “loopholes” by appearing in commercials for a Coors Light Bear (not beer, get it?) and a Coors Light (as in, a flashlight).
With nonalcoholic beer, could athletes potentially avoid having to go through these hoops?
“We haven’t worked with an NFL team yet, and I emphasize yet,” Katz says. “We are certainly fans of the NFL and we are in certain NFL stadiums. … But [our strategy] is not league-centric, it’s fan-centric. A lot of what we’ve done to date hasn’t been with traditional sports. But that’s not to say we won’t. It’s a building process as the brand gains more and more awareness.”
As the nonalcoholic category broadly gains more awareness, Bob Lynch, CEO of SponsorUnited, doesn’t see these partnerships slowing any time soon.
“It’s going to increase. It’s still small, but we’re seeing growth in the space. The trend line will continue that way and follow societal trends.”