Food and sports are always a winning combination. While stadium hospitality partners tempt with creative, over the top offerings, many people crave a taste of the tried and true, classic stadium fare. Casey’s just announced that it will be the Official Partner of the TKO Takeover Weekend. This new partnership is a step forward for the uber popular pizza brand.
While baseball might be the All-American summer sport and football will always have its place in the pop culture lexicon, UFC, WWE, and PBR are taking over the conversation. From the immersive storylines of the WWE or the celebrity packed audience for UFC, there is something that draws people to these sports.
As many brand appreciate, partnerships with these sports and their popular athletes raise awareness for their food and beverages. Who hasn’t thirsted for a Monster after watching UFC or craved a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch after an epic WWE Wrestlemania.
Casey’s welcomed the opportunity to be the Official Partner of the TKO Takeover Weekend. Held April 24 through 28 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, the multi-day event will introduce the iconic regional pizza to a whole new audience.
According to Tom Brennan, Chief Merchandising Officer at Casey’s, “Nothing beats watching UFC, WWE, or PBR with your favorite Casey’s pizza.” This partnership exemplifies a new era of brand engagement in live sports, allowing fans to savor the action alongside delicious food.”
The Casey’s branding will be seen around the arena as well as on social media. The creative socials will engage both sets of fans. Given the profound loyalty of all the groups, there will be spirited banter and consumer engagement.
This expansion into a brand partnership seems like a big step for Casey’s. While its leadership embraces its regional footprint, this event opens the door to something bigger. Whether it is placement in a sporting venue, like T-Mobile Center, or a partnership with one of the big names in sports and entertainment, the concept advances the brand beyond its segment.
Given that the brand is always looking to innovative its pizza offerings, there are plenty of ways to build on this special event. For people who may not be able to attend the event in person, there could have been a specialty pizza or maybe the team could do a follow-up for the next event with a celebration of the winning WWE wrestler’s favorite topping or the UFC top billing’s splurge meal. The possibilities to build on this opportunity are many.
How will Casey’s leverage this partnership? Only time will tell, but more exposure to a loyal fan based can prove to be a windfall.