Dive Brief:
- Maker’s Mark, a Beam Suntory brand, was named the first official spirits partner of women’s basketball league Unrivaled, according to a press release. It is the bourbon brand’s first sports league sponsorship.
- The brand will appear on broadcast-visible signage, as well as run 30-second commercials on partner media channels such as TNT and truTV. These spots will air during the regular season and playoffs and feature the brand’s “Perfectly Unreasonable” global campaign. Custom content will run on Bleacher Report.
- The announcement of the multi-year partnership comes just a few weeks before the start of the league’s second season on Jan. 5. Activations will take place at Sephora Arena in Miami and Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.
Dive Insight:
Maker’s Mark is betting on player-owned women’s basketball league Unrivaled to make an impact in the crowded sports sponsorship space. The league made a splash during its first season, generating 589 million earned and owned social media impressions and reached nearly 20 million viewers, according to statistics from the league. The league also signed over 20 corporate partners, including Samsung Galaxy, Under Armour and Wayfair.
As part of the partnership, the bourbon brand will have a significant on-premise and digital presence. Ticket holders will be able to engage with branded experiences in select spaces and enjoy league-inspired specialty cocktails. Maker’s Mark will also be a part of Unrivaled’s pre-game Fan Fast, an outside event featuring games, merchandise, photo opportunities and other activities. At Sephora Arena, the brand is turning the new VIP Lodge Box into an immersive space.
Maker Mark’s “Perfectly Unreasonable" campaign will be featured during commercials. The campaign, which launched in February, is the first activation for the brand by global creative agency Carmichael Lynch.
Women’s basketball has seen a surge in popularity, with the WNBA breaking its single-season attendance record during its 2025 regular season. The rise has largely been driven by an increased interest in women’s sports overall, along with the popularity of break-out stars such as Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. Unrivaled’s second season will see two new clubs, an overhauled arena with larger fan sections and a Philadelphia tour stop. The league will also have broader national broadcast coverage and a fourth night of games.
The Suntory Group’s alcoholic beverage segment saw a revenue decrease of 1.8% year-over-year when including the liquor tax, according to financial statements for the six months ending on June 30, 2025. When the liquor tax was excluded, the decrease jumped to 2.4%. The company sites economic uncertainty in “key overseas areas” as a major reason for the decline.
Bourbon has seen a sales decline in recent years, largely due to export woes and ongoing tariff concerns. Exports to U.S. distilled spirits, which includes bourbon, fell 9% year-over-year in the second quarter of 2025 compared to the year prior. This amounted to a loss of $57.4 million. Additionally, the industry saw a boom during the pandemic and economic concerns in the following years have impacted the domestic market. Excess inventory of aging barrels has only compounded the issue.
