Another sponsor announces they will change their sponsorship strategy...and Crown Royal's future doesn't include Matt Kenseth's 17 car and Roush Racing.
With Jack Daniel's and Jim Beam gone from Nascar, Crown Royal will now follow. After years of trying to break into the sport, all three liquor companies have changed their marketing strategy to exclude Nascar team sponsorship. Jack Daniel's and Jim Beam left in 2009, but Crown Royal still had 2 more years left on their agreement. Crown Royal has informed Roush they too would not return after this year.
Official Statement from Crown Royal: In evaluation of our NASCAR programming and after much consideration, we have made the decision to make a strategic shift to focus our resources against our annual Crown Royal "Your Name Here" program which awards race naming rights to an adult fan. The Your Name Here program has provided NASCAR fans with an experience that is unrivaled in sports and in recent years has shed light on some of the remarkable military servicemen and servicewomen who proudly serve our country. We look forward to elevating this program as well as continuing our presence in the sport through an experience that our fans have grown to love. The specific details regarding how we will honor these heroes at next year's entitlement will be announced at a later date.
In shifting our strategy, we will end our sponsorships with Roush Fenway Racing and NASCAR upon the conclusion of the 2011 season. We have developed strong relationships with the people at both organizations - they have not only been fantastic business partners, but have also become our friends. We thank them for working with us throughout the years to showcase the importance of our social responsibility initiatives. We look forward to a strong finish to the 2011 season and like the many fans we've gained along the way, we'll never stop rooting for the #17 car on its way to Victory Lane.(Crown Royal PR)