Heineken Reminds NFL Executives They Would Be Pretty Forgiving Corporate Sponsor

WHITE PLAINS, NY—Repeatedly stressing that they are an incredibly loyal and understanding brand partner, officials from Heineken reportedly reminded top NFL executives Friday that the international beer company would be a pretty forgiving corporate sponsor. “We just wanted to put it out there that we’re not quick to judge, and we certainly wouldn’t jump ship at the first sign of trouble,” said Heineken chief marketing officer Nuno Teles, adding that a corporate sponsor’s role is solely to pay money in exchange for publicity, not to go around pointing fingers and telling another organization how to handle their business. “Every company runs into problems from time to time, and we totally get that. If we did have an issue with the league in any respect, I can guarantee that we’d discuss it behind closed doors with the appropriate NFL representatives. One thing we would absolutely never do is go public with any such issue, that’s for sure.” Teles went on to suggest that accepting a new, slightly cheaper offer for an exclusive multiyear sponsorship deal may actually make sense for the NFL in some cases, especially when a current partner has proven to be more trouble than they’re worth.