'Beer of the Milwaukee Bucks:' Miller Brewing Company named Founding Partner to the new arena

MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee Bucks aim to keep the drinks flowing in the team's new arena -- and Miller Brewing Company will be providing many of them. The two entities held a news conference at the construction site of the Wisconsin Entertainment and Sports Center (WESC) on Thursday morning, Feb. 22 to announce Miller will be a Founding Partner to the new arena.

"Miller will be the beer of the Milwaukee Bucks," said Bucks President Peter Feigin. "People who come to this venue can expect an unbelievably large presence from Miller Brewing. From the three anchor bars to the Coors Light Experience and suite, to their general promotions and marketing."

"We've been with the Bucks since 1968 when they started out in this city," said Jim Kanter, General Manager of Miller Brewing Company. "We want to be, and it's important for us to be, part of the fabric of this community and the DNA of this community in Milwaukee which after all, is Brew City."

The partnership includes extensive Miller Brewing Co. branding and integration throughout the WESC including three main bar locations. On the main concourse of the arena will be The Miller Brewing Co. bar and a Leinenkugel’s bar, with a Coors Light bar on the upper concourse. All three bars will feature direct sight lines into the arena bowl, providing views of the event. The upper concourse will also include the Coors Light Silver Bullet Suite, which will be an exclusive event space for limited events with a capacity of up to 60 guests.

Kanter said the layout of each "tavern" in the arena will allow fans to grab drinks without missing any of the action.

"So you can watch the game right in front of you, turn around have a beer with your group of friends and really not ever miss a beat," Kanter said.

Miller Brewing Co. will also bring innovative, arena-specific products to the WESC that will be featured at each of its bar locations. In addition to being the exclusive beer and malt beverage of the Milwaukee Bucks and WESC, Miller Brewing Co. will continue to be the title sponsor of the Bucks Bar Network – a program developed for fans to watch Bucks games at featured bars across Wisconsin with drink specials – and the presenting sponsor for the Bucks Night Out ticket package.

Miller Brewing Co. joins BMO Harris Bank, Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin and Johnson Controls as Founding Partners of the new Bucks arena.

Construction on the $500 million arena is still going full steam ahead.

"Tomorrow you'll be pouring the ice floor; almost the entire entire exterior is completed. So you're really starting to see the details and next month you'll see the details," Feigin said.

The arena is set to open in fall 2018.