Partnership with imported beer brand first at U.S. school

The University of Texas athletics department announced a partnership with Corona Extra, naming the imported beer an official sponsor of the Texas Longhorns.

As part of its relationship with Texas, Corona has adopted the slogan, “Horns Up, Limes In!”

“Texas is proud to join with the Corona Extra team to promote the excitement and pageantry of collegiate sports,” said UT men’s athletic director Mike Perrin, who leads an athletic program that started selling beer at football, basketball and baseball games two years ago.

The sponsorship includes access to the university’s football, basketball and baseball programs, a responsible drinking campaign, hospitality, tickets, media exposure on the Longhorn Network and access to the “Texas Exes” alumni community. Corona also has use of university trademarks for use in certain point-of-sale, social, digital and other advertising materials.

“There really isn’t anything more emblematic of the state of Texas than the storied history of the four-time football national champion Texas Longhorns,” said John Alvarado, Corona’s vice president of marketing.

“Corona is honored to be a part of the legendary Longhorns lore, and we’re excited to raise our Coronas and Hook ’em Horns this season as part of a statewide platform.”

Corona plans to have a “Corona Beach House” located near Darrel K Royal-Memorial Stadium on game days for fans ages 21 and over as part of the stadium’s tailgating experience.

IMG College, LLC, the exclusive multimedia rights holder for The Texas Longhorn athletics, negotiated the relationship between Corona Extra and the University of Texas.

The Corona-Texas partnership marks the first imported beer brand to partner with a university in the United States.