Bud Light Joins Sony in Support of Bowl Championship Series '3D Game of the Week' on ESPN 3D

SAN DIEGO and ST. LOUIS, Sept. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- This college football season, ESPN 3D and Sony are changing the way fans view games from home with the introduction of the "3D Game of the Week."  Every week, Sony will sponsor the airing of one top-level college game with potential Bowl Championship Series (BCS) implications on ESPN 3D, beginning with Boise State versus Virginia Tech on Monday, Sept. 6.

Bud Light is helping to extend the experience, partnering with Sony to host co-branded 3D viewing parties in select 3D Game of the Week markets that include Bud Light mobile bars outfitted with six Sony BRAVIA HDTVs with 3D and active 3D glasses, along with PlayStation 3 systems.  The viewing parties will give consumers a chance to experience 3D technology firsthand. Sony's stable 3D signal from the HDTV to the 3D active glasses will allow for wide-viewing angles so everyone in the party can enjoy the telecast from a comfortable seat.  Bud Light and Sony will host 3D viewing parties at locations around select visiting teams' markets throughout the season as well.

"Sony is involved in every step of the 3D process and is a major partner in helping to deliver the 3D college football experience to the home," said Stuart Redsun, Sony Electronics senior vice president of marketing.  "Our professional HD cameras are being used to shoot the action for each ESPN 3D game of the week through the BCS National Championship game in January, and fans can now enjoy the games on our 3D HDTVs."

ESPN 3D launched on June 11 with the first game of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa.  The channel has featured 25 World Cup games as well as the 2010 Home Run Derby.  Future plans include a featured college football game almost every week of the season.  Additional dates will be announced as the season progresses.  Sony is the official sponsor of college football on ESPN 3D, and college football games televised on ESPN 3D will utilize Sony professional cameras.

Bud Light will be the exclusive malt beverage category sponsor for all ESPN 3D college football telecasts, which will include cut-ins to the Bud Light and Sony 3D viewing parties during select games.  To support the telecasts, Bud Light will also debut a 3D commercial – titled "Ultimate Tailgate Car" – the first 3D commercial filmed and aired by a brewer.  The brand's relationship with ESPN extends into the college football post-season, where Bud Light will receive entitlement of the pre-game shows of the four BCS bowl games aired on ESPN, including custom opening and closing animations, on-set branding and full malt beverage category exclusivity.  

"The introduction of a 3D commercial provides us a great way to showcase Bud Light and further sets the brand apart as a leader and innovator in the beer category," said Keith Levy, vice president, marketing, Anheuser-Busch, Inc.  "Connecting with consumers through new means strengthens Bud Light's position in the football season, and the use of 3D technology plays an important role in our overall football campaign this season, 'Bud Light Playbook.'"

To view 3D games in the home, consumers will need a 3D TV such as Sony's BRAVIA 3D capable models and active shutter 3D glasses, as well as access to the ESPN 3D channel.  ESPN 3D is currently carried on AT&T U-verse, Comcast and DirecTV.  

About Anheuser-Busch

Based in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch is the leading American brewer, holding a 48.9 percent share of U.S. beer sales to retailers.  The company brews the world's largest-selling beers, Budweiser and Bud Light.  Anheuser-Busch also owns a 50 percent share in Grupo Modelo, Mexico's leading brewer.  Anheuser-Busch is a major manufacturer of aluminum cans and has been a leading aluminum recycler for more than 30 years.  The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the leading global brewer, and continues to operate under the Anheuser-Busch name and logo.  For more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com.

About Sony Electronics

Headquartered in San Diego, Sony Electronics is a leading provider of audio/video electronics and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets.  Operations include research and development, design, engineering, sales, marketing, distribution and customer service.  Sony is noted for a wide range of consumer audio-visual products, such as the BRAVIA LCD and 3D high-definition televisions, Cyber-shot and alpha digital cameras, Handycam camcorder and Walkman personal stereo.  Sony is also an innovator in the IT arena with its VAIO personal computers; and in high-definition professional telecast and production equipment, highlighted by the XDCAM HD and CineAlta™ lines of cameras and camcorders, and the SXRD™ 4K digital projector.  The latest news and information is available at the company's website at www.sony.com/news.

SOURCE Sony Electronics; Anheuser-Busch