America's largest dedicated non-alcoholic brewer, Athletic Brewing Company, has signed a multi-year partnership making it the official non-alcoholic beer partner of MetLife Stadium, the New York Giants, and the New York Jets — the brand's first formal sponsorship of an NFL stadium and two professional football teams simultaneously.
Fans at the East Rutherford, N.J. venue will find 19.2 oz. cans of Athletic's Run Wild IPA and Upside Dawn Golden at locations throughout the stadium, alongside video board content, concourse displays, pylon and LED signage, menu placements, retail kiosks, and digital highway signage near the building. On select game days, Athletic will also run product sampling and interactive fan activations.
Beyond the Concourse
The partnership extends well past in-stadium pours. Athletic will appear across New York Giants and New York Jets television, radio, digital, and social media platforms, and will participate in both teams' training camps and community initiatives. Later in 2026, Athletic plans to release special-edition 12-packs: Run Wild IPA packaging featuring the Giants logo and Upside Dawn Golden bearing the Jets logo, available to consumers throughout the Tri-State area.
"As the live event experience continues to evolve, we are committed to offering amenities that reflect the preferences of all guests," said Ron VanDeVeen, President and CEO of MetLife Stadium. "Partnering with a non-alcoholic brewing pioneer like Athletic allows us to broaden our beverage offerings, provide greater choice, and further shape the experience for all guests who visit MetLife Stadium throughout the year."
NA Beer's Stadium Moment
For venue operators and foodservice directors watching beverage industry trends, the deal signals a clear shift in how major sports and entertainment properties approach non-alcoholic options. MetLife Stadium — ranked No. 1 in the U.S. for tickets sold and ticket revenue in 2024 per Pollstar, and with a capacity of 82,500 — is one of the most commercially significant venues in the country. Landing a dedicated NA brewer as a named partner, rather than simply stocking a few SKUs, reflects a maturing of the category's role in the live-event beverage mix.
Athletic already holds over 50% market share in NA craft beer and outsells the next 100 NA craft brands combined, according to NielsenIQ data through July 2026. The company is currently served at more than 200 venues nationwide and holds partnerships spanning professional soccer, baseball, lacrosse, hockey, college athletics, endurance events, and live music. MetLife Stadium is its highest-profile NFL footprint to date.
For restaurant and hospitality operators considering their own non-alcoholic programming, the MetLife deal underscores what's become a consistent theme in large-venue foodservice: guests who don't drink alcohol — whether by preference, wellness choice, or designated-driver circumstance — increasingly expect more than a soda as their only alternative. A branded, highly distributed NA craft beer on draft or in cans addresses that gap while preserving the social ritual of cracking a cold one in the stands.
Athletic Co-Founder and CEO Bill Shufelt framed the stadium deal as central to the company's broader mission. "We can't wait for Athletic to become the game day ritual fans count on, from the tailgate to the final whistle," he said.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
