A global beer brand, Budweiser, has said Nigerian football fans will benefit greatly from its partnership with two of the top international football leagues, the English Premier League (EPL) and Spanish La Liga.

WuzupNaija reports that Anheuser-Busch InBev’s (AB InBev) had announced the sponsorship deal a week ago, saying the new partnerships will be activated across five continents and in more than 20 countries, which included Nigeria.

Speaking during a media parley at its office in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday where the sponsorship deal was officially announced in Nigeria, the Managing Director, International Breweries, Annabelle Degroot, said Budweiser has initiated ‘Be A King’ campaign, which will inspire fans by connecting them with the kings of the football game.

She stated that:

“Budweiser has a track record of innovative football sponsorships, including partnering with the FIFA World Cup over many years.

“We look forward to working together to bring our new partnership to life and capturing the imagination of our fans all over the world including here in Nigeria.”

“We are excited to kick off these long-term partnerships with the English Premier League and LaLiga, two world-class football leagues. We know how much our consumers love football and that is why it is important to us as a company to help them enjoy these great football moments in grand, unique and exciting ways only Budweiser can bring to life.

“We are passionate about football, and so are our consumers, so we couldn’t be prouder to celebrate the sport, the players, and most importantly, the fans,” she said.

Also speaking at the event, the Marketing Director, International Breweries, Tolulope Adedeji, said the deal will bring Nigerian fans closer to players in the top two European football leagues.

READ ALSO: Budweiser announces partnerships with EPL, La Liga

She also revealed that a nationwide television campaign programme ‘Be A King’ will soon be launched as the leagues set to commence for the 2019/2020 season.

Adedeji said:

“The ‘Be A King’ campaign is global and it will be domesticated nationwide here in the country. Football is not just the most popular sport in Nigeria, it plays an important role in the lives of the people who are endeared to it.”

High End Marketing Manager, Franscoe Bouwer, revealed that the sponsorship deal will run for three years.

Also speaking at the event, singer and Budweiser brand ambassador, Bankole Wellington popularly known as Banky W, said the ‘Be A King’ campaign would also use the inspiring success stories of footballers to inspire youngsters.

“Stories of players who rose from the gutters of the society to the top of their career would no doubt inspire the young fans and this is one of the goals the campaign seeks to achieve,” he said