Modelo, owned in the U.S. by Constellation Brands, is making its largest college football investment to date with the “It’s Not Just Game Day. It’s Tradition.” platform. Timed to the 2026–27 season, it’s backed by an 18% year-over-year increase in media investment and includes three spots and media partnerships with Fox, ESPN and Barstool Sports, spanning social and digital, sportsbooks, rideshare and delivery and broadcast. Modelo is also partnering with Homefield on co-branded merchandise, activations and content. It’s a case of sports sponsorship marketing stretched into a season-long platform.
Modelo is the official beer sponsor of the College Football Playoff. It has invested heavily in sports as Modelo Especial fights to remain the top-selling U.S. beer by dollar sales while facing Michelob Ultra, the top seller by volume.
The brand has challenges. In the quarter ended June 30, Modelo Especial depletions — the rate beer leaves distributor warehouses — fell about 2%, contributing to a 0.3% decline company-wide. “Unaided awareness is remarkably low” for the brand, Constellation CEO Nicholas Fink said, signaling room to scale.
Modelo will appear in ESPN games and highlights through the playoffs, sponsor Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff” as its beer sponsor and serve as beer and presenting sponsor of Barstool Sports’ “Mostly Sports with Mark Titus and Brandon Walker,” with weekly segments, in-studio signage and social content. Select markets get limited-edition packaging featuring partner schools, plus giveaways via in-store signage or a landing page.
The platform drops “The Recruiter,” a character introduced in 2024 and featured in 2025’s “Full-Time Fans,” which was backed by a 20% media increase. In 2025, Modelo raised college basketball ad spending by 48% and, during the World Cup, increased U.S. pro soccer spending by 125% versus the previous season.
Compare Cheez-It’s Couch Committee and Coca-Cola’s college football playbook to see how brands enter fan culture through different doors.
“It’s Not Just Game Day. It’s Tradition.” — its largest college football investment, backed by an 18% media increase, three spots, Fox, ESPN and Barstool partnerships, limited-edition packaging and merch.
To defend its No. 1 dollar-sales position against volume leader Michelob Ultra and address declining depletions and low unaided awareness.
It dropped the character “The Recruiter” and focused on fan traditions — rival friends watching together, a father-daughter text exchange and tailgate cooking.
To apply what you just read to your own site, start with a free audit of where things are now.
A strategist replies within 24 hours on business days.
Heinz won a Cannes Grand Prix with an ad showing no logo or product. How 150 years of brand consistency built that asset, why Tropicana and Gap redesigns failed, and what to ask before a rebrand.
Volkswagen of America extended its U.S. Soccer deal through 2032. CMO Rachael Zaluzec explains her sports partnership marketing filter, talent-led social and why the Super Bowl needs a purpose.
Success tempts brands into endless brand extension. Motto's co-founders explain brand permission, how attention fakes product-market fit and the questions to ask before expanding.