• Loading stock data...
Thursday, July 3, 2025

Boulevard Brewing Pivots To Digital With Whit Merrifield Campaign

  • In the second year of partnership with the Kansas City Royals second baseman, the KC brewery is finding new ways to connect with fans.
  • Boulevard wants to go deep with the Royals and Kansas City before spinning to other teams.

Last year, Kansas City’s Boulevard Brewing amplified its status as the Kansas City Royals’ official craft beer partner by also partnering with the team’s second baseman, Whit Merrifield. 

The team’s partnership with the brewery began in 2017 – and expanded to include Merrifield last year as players could now take on partnerships with alcohol brands because of a change from the MLB Players Association. Prior to the change, active players could not have partnerships with alcoholic beverage brands.
Despite the current hiatus of baseball, the brewery is full-speed ahead with its player partnerships.

“We became the official beer, and that opened a lot of doors to us; a lot of players wanted to engage, saying they love the brewery and the city,” Natalie Gershon, Boulevard vice president of marketing, said. “Last year, the MLBPA worked hard with Anheuser-Busch, and we’re thankful for them creating a path forward for players to partner with beverage brands in the right way, protecting the integrity with safety in mind. We can say yes to those players that had been talking to us.”

For its part, Boulevard built out a campaign with Merrifield, mainly around the Unfiltered Whit beer, which is the brewery’s wheat beer.

This season, the partnership is expanding to also include Merrifield’s teammate Hunter Dozier.

Gershon said there was quite a bit planned around in-person events during Spring Training and early-season in Kansas City, but with the coronavirus outbreak postponing the start of the season, strategy has shifted. 

“Any time your hand is forced, that is when you get creative. I have my team and colleagues flexing new muscles,” she said. “Right now, it’s thinking about different ways to accomplish our goals differently, and some of what we do right now will stick in the new world.” 

For example, rather than just cancel events, Gershon said Boulevard is taking them online. Last week, Merrifield took over the Boulevard Twitter page and interacted with fans for the entirety of a Fox Sports replay of a game last June, in which he went 3-for-4 with two home runs and six runs batted in. One of the Tweets, to promote a commercial break giveaway, received more than 1,000 comments.

For now, these virtual events are helping bridge the gap until baseball resumes, but Gershon said she hopes things like Zoom-hosted happy hours, drive-by birthday parades, and the virtual events Boulevard is putting on to showcase Merrifield and Dozier will continue in the future, even when games start again.

READ MORE: Budweiser Says Goodbye to Wade With New Sports Strategy

“Fans are craving baseball, and we’re trying to connect the dots,” Gershon said. “For us, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, whether it’s four weeks or four months. The best thing we can do is keep these great partnerships alive and keep spirits up.”

Boulevard’s first entry into sports partnerships was with the Royals, and the brewer aims to embrace local pride as much as possible.

Gershon said there’s a beer prepared to celebrate the Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory when public gatherings can resume: Worth the Wait imperial red ale, though it’s not an official partnership with the team. (The Chiefs have a craft beer partnership with California’s Golden Road Brewing, an Anheuser-Busch-owned brand.)

Before its official partnership with the Royals, Boulevard released Crown Town Ale in 2014 to celebrate the team’s World Series appearance and again in 2015 to celebrate a World Series victory.

Beyond taking a keen interest in supporting Kansas City sports teams and their fans, Gershon said Boulevard had high hopes with sponsorships at the Royals Spring Training facility in Arizona, which the team shares with the Rangers, as well as the Marlins and Cardinals shared complex in Florida. She also mentioned partnerships with the Corpus Christi Hooks and The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. 

“For us, we’d love to be everywhere, but we’re a pretty small brewery with a small budget,” she said. “We’d like to focus our efforts to go as deep as possible with our existing partners before overextending. But if I had my druthers, we’d be all over sports.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Jun 10, 2025; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) drops back to pass during minicamp at their South Side facility.
opinion

Steelers Win-Now Mode Is Good News for NFL Media Partners

The conservative “Steeler Way” has finally adapted—and media partners are happy.

The Battle Over Wimbledon’s Ambitious Expansion Plan

A classic NIMBY standoff on one of the most hallowed grounds in sports.
Dec 5, 2024; Miami, FL, USA; FIFA president Gianni Infantino presents the FIFA Club World Cup trophy during the Club Word Cup draw at Telemundo Studios.

Revamped Club World Cup Is FIFA’s Billion-Dollar Gamble

The revamped soccer event debuts amid controversy.
Jan 31, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) reacts to a play against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at Smoothie King Center.
opinion

The Celtics Sale Set an NBA Record. How Long Will It Stand?

Owners and investors weigh in on the $6.1 billion Celtics price tag.

Featured Today

Seattle Rough & Tumble

Women’s Sports Bars Are on the Rise. Survival Isn’t Guaranteed

Some women’s sports bars are cashing in. Others are clawing for funding.
June 27, 2025

Shitposters Have Taken the Reins of Pro Sports’ Official Voices

Meet the social media pros turning sports teams into internet trolls.
Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13) hoists the Stanley Cup after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena
June 26, 2025

Stanley Cup’s International Summer Tour: Rules, Repairs, and Raucousness

No pro trophy tour compares to the NHL’s three-month global victory lap.
Mar 15, 2025; Fort Worth, TX, USA; UAB Blazers forward Yaxel Lendeborg (3) dribbles the ball upcourt against the North Texas Mean Green during the first half at Dickies Arena
June 22, 2025

NIL Is Shrinking the Pool of NBA Draft Entrants

Agents are now advising many players to stay in school.

How Rolex Paved the Way for Luxury’s Love Affair With Tennis

“It’s almost impossible to think about tennis without thinking about Rolex.”
Athlos
May 4, 2025

Nike Wants to Pull Off the First Women’s Sub-4:00 Mile

Experts speak on whether Nike’s “moonshot” is realistic or a gimmick.
Jul 19, 2024; Phoenix, Ariz., United States; Sheryl Swoopes hosts a WBNA All-Star brunch in honor of her former teammate, Nikki McCray Penson, at Thea in Phoenix on July 19, 2024
May 12, 2025

Sheryl Swoopes: A’ja Wilson Shoe Campaign Shows Nike Sea Change

Nike released the Air Swoopes in 1995.
Sponsored

Hottest Matchups Following NFL Schedule Release

The NFL released the 2025 regular-season schedule, and anticipation is already building in the ticket marketplace with four months to go.
Apr 12, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; MLB umpire Ron Kulpa (46) calls a third strike during a game between the Cleveland Guardians and the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field
May 4, 2025

Pro Refs Get Offered Free Lasik for Better Calls. Some Took It

Some pro officials have sprung for the offer for free corrective surgery.
January 15, 2025

State Farm Cancels Planned Super Bowl Ad Amid California Fires Controversy

State Farm’s Super Bowl ad last year featured Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito.
Nov 25, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; From left: Scott Van Pelt, Ryan Clark, Jason Kelce and Marcus Spears on the ESPN Monday Night Football Countdown set before the game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium.
December 17, 2024

A ‘Wave’ of Sports Content Is Coming to TikTok

The next generation is consuming sports in a different way.
Apr 7, 2022; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Rory McIlroy (left) and Brooks Koepka set up to putt on no. 9 during the first round of The Masters golf tournament.
November 27, 2024

PGA Tour vs. LIV Golf TV ‘Showdown’ Will Pay Out $10M Crypto..

Two golfers from each tour will face off in Las Vegas.