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Reds go with Coke over Pepsi

By on January 20, 2009
The PEPSI Power Stacks in all their glory
The Reds have decided to sign a 5-year deal with Coca Cola, ending a relationship with Pepsi that dates back to 2003 when the park opened.
Initially, Coke, Diet Coke, Coke Zero and Dasani will be sold at the park.
Both parties were unwilling to speak about pricing, but one agency source said it was a low-seven-figure-per-year deal. Coke will activate with a still-to-be-determined Reds player and it also gets pass-through rights for restaurant and retail partners, with sweepstakes that will give away vouchers for Reds tickets, Cokes and hot dogs at select games. The Reds also hope to use the new Coke tie to generate cup promos and the like with local quick service restaurants.
I try not to drink a lot of soda to begin with. I drink even less at the ballpark due to the 400% price hike. But this move makes it a lock that I never purchase a soft drink at the stadium. I’ve always preferred Pepsi to Coke and always will. Just a personal choice.
But I liked this quote by Coke spokesman. The guy knows how to warm a Reds fan up:
“Cincinnati’s an iconic team brand in baseball and that’s really why we wanted them, because we think of ourselves that way also,” said John Cordova, Coke’s director of sports transaction management.
Iconic team in baseball? Why thank you, sir. We’re talking about the same big league city, right?
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