PepsiCo and Pittsburgh Steelers Sign Exclusive Multi-year Sponsorship Contract

Deal includes non-alcoholic beverages, salty snacks and sports fuel

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Jul 23, 2012, 09:00 ET

PURCHASE, N.Y. and PITTSBURGH, July 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- PepsiCo, Inc. today announced a multi-year relationship with the Pittsburgh Steelers to be the franchise's exclusive non-alcoholic beverage, salty snacks and sports fuel provider. The deal marks the Steelers first partnership with PepsiCo's expanded portfolio, which includes iconic brands such as Pepsi, Frito-Lay and Gatorade.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120723/NY43920-a )

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120723/NY43920-b )

As part of the new sponsorship, PepsiCo will gain exclusive selling, dispensing and serving rights at Heinz Field; fixed stadium signage; venue and team sponsor assets; integration into the team's mobile, TV and digital assets; and local media and retail promotional opportunities. The stadium conversion will be complete by the start of the Steelers' 2012 season.

PepsiCo will also be introducing a limited-edition commemorative Pepsi MAX can in honor of the Steelers' 80^th anniversary, available throughout Pennsylvania beginning in the fall.

"We can't wait to begin working closely with the Steelers, one of the NFL's most iconic franchises, and be part of such a celebrated team with some of the league's most passionate fans," said PepsiCo North America Beverages Chief Marketing Officer Simon Lowden. "Our vast portfolio of food and beverage products will bring a lot of enjoyment to the Steelers' community and we're looking forward to partnering closely with the team on new initiatives. The Steelers organization is topnotch and shares our creative marketing vision."

"We are excited about our new partnership with PepsiCo – a world-class company with a unique understanding of sports and what football fans want," said Steelers President Art Rooney II. "I'm sure our fans will enjoy the many promotions that we will have through our relationship with PepsiCo, which this year includes a commemorative 80th Season can that will be part of celebrating a significant year in Steelers history. We are thrilled to start this new partnership and look forward to making it entertaining for our fans to enjoy all of PepsiCo's products."

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo is a global food and beverage leader with net revenues of more than $65 billion and a product portfolio that includes 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in annual retail sales. Our main businesses – Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay and Pepsi-Cola – make hundreds of enjoyable foods and beverages that are loved throughout the world. PepsiCo's people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth by investing in a healthier future for people and our planet, which we believe also means a more successful future for PepsiCo. We call this commitment Performance with Purpose: PepsiCo's promise to provide a wide range of foods and beverages for local tastes; to find innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment by conserving energy and water and reducing packaging volume; to provide a great workplace for our associates; and to respect, support and invest in the local communities where we operate. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.

About the Pittsburgh Steelers

In 1933, Arthur J. Rooney Sr. founded the Pittsburgh Steelers, and at the time of their birth, they were one of five other teams in the NFL. Since 1970 the Steelers have won the most division titles (20) of any team in the NFL and are tied for first in playoff appearances with 26. They also have the most Super Bowl championships (6) and the most primary inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (22) since 1933. Now celebrating their 80th season, the Steelers have continued their success into the new millennium, winning six division championships, three AFC Championships and two Super Bowl titles since 2000.

SOURCE PepsiCo