Anheuser-Busch sports marketing guru to depart at year end
By David Sweet • Nov 19th, 2008 • Category: A-B InBev
He’s far from a household name. Even a Seattle Mariners’ backup infielder is probably better recognized among casual sports fans.
But Tony Ponturo, 56, has been a major force at the intersection of beer and sports for more than a quarter-century. And at the end of the year, Anheuser-Busch announced Monday, the sports marketing executive will leave the company.
Throughout the summer and into the fall as the InBev purchase neared completion, Ponturo has publicly waxed optimistic about the takeover of the St. Louis-based brewery, at least in terms of A-B’s massive sports marketing budget. “I think we’re going to stay very aggressive,” he told the Fox show “Money for Breakfast.” As recently as two weeks ago, he inked a pact with Vail Resorts in Colorado so A-B could sponsor its skiing resorts. (Last month on DRAFTMag.com, Sweet detailed the future of A-B’s sports marketing branch.)
Ponturo’s departure, whether voluntary or not, is not a good sign for spending on beer commercials around sports events, on which A-B drops about $200 million a year in the U.S. Its reported 10 spots during the 2009 Super Bowl are assuredly safe, considering Budweiser commercials have graced the Super Bowl telecast for more than three decades, but the continuation of other sports-ad spending could be in doubt.
Ponturo also has been a key player in procuring a slew of sports sponsorships with the NBA, NHL and dozens of pro teams. A-B spends more than $300 million in sports sponsorships globally.
For your work in the sports world, Tony, this Bud’s for you.
