World’s 2nd largest selling bourbon teaming up with top college programs, but not UK

A Kentucky bourbon will be featured at football stadiums and basketball arenas around the country as part of a major new marketing partnership.

But you won’t see it at the University of Kentucky.

Heaven Hill, which makes the whiskey, announced that Evan Williams Bourbon has signed a partnership with Learfield, a media company that works with college sports, to make Evan Williams “Game Day’s #1 Pour,” according to a news release.

Learfield, which works with more than 1,200 collegiate programs including the University of Florida, Syracuse University, TCU, Ohio State University and the University of Alabama, said the bourbon will be featured in signs in stadiums, branded bar spaces and tailgate activations at the five schools beginning with the 2024 football season.

What the deal means for Evan Williams

No dollar figure was released for the five-year deal, which makes Evan Williams one of the first bourbons to partner with top college sports programs nationally.

Evan Williams is the world’s second-largest selling bourbon and draws thousands of visitors every year to the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience in Louisville and to Heaven Hill’s distillery on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail in Bardstown.

“From pre-game rituals to post-win celebrations, Evan Williams is the bourbon that scores with college sports fans and alumni,” said Molly Vincent, senior manager of the Evan Williams brand for Kentucky-based Heaven Hill. “We’re thrilled to bring Evan Williams together with this very loyal and enthusiastic audience who appreciates the excitement of a great play as much as a great pour and knows how to celebrate responsibly.”

A new national college sports platform, Evan Williams Bourbon Nation, also will roll out next spring targeting all college sports fans and events, with a particular focus on football and basketball, including digital ads, social media and customer promotions across the country.

Why Evan Williams won’t be promoted at UK

One place you probably won’t find the platform is at UK. The University of Kentucky in 2014 signed a 15-year, $210 million deal with JMI Sports, a competitor of Learfield, to market the UK national brand.

A UK sports official confirmed that the Evan Williams campaign will have no impact on the Wildcats.

UK also already has a partnership with Woodford Reserve, a premium Brown-Forman bourbon, which sponsors the Woodford Reserve Club in Kroger Field.

Which means that the Big Blue Nation won’t be part of the Evan Williams Bourbon Nation.

But other Kentucky schools could be: The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and the Northern Kentucky Norse are Learfield partners.

“By integrating Evan Williams into the game day experience, we aim to enhance how fans connect with their favorite teams,” said Shawn Hegan, executive vice president of Global Partnerships at Learfield. “We’re not just bringing a great bourbon to the fans — we’re creating new ways for people to enjoy and celebrate their passion for college sports. We’re looking forward to building and expanding this partnership for years to come.”