Canvas8 reports are available to Canvas8 subscribers. What follows is an adaptation of the research; the full report can be accessed via the View Report link.
Abstract
For decades, game day had one drink: Light lager in the tailgate cooler, a plastic cup in the stands, and the same few logos on every tap. Beer was part of the uniform, and the sponsorship deals were written around it. Today's fans drink less and switch strengths as the game goes on: a craft IPA early on, a canned cocktail in the second half, a zero-proof beer before the drive home. The stadium is still built for the fan who only drank beer.
The research draws on interviews with Chris Furnari, senior communications manager at Athletic Brewing, and Chris Marshall, founder of Sans Bar, the first non-alcoholic bar in the US.
The findings
Anheuser-Busch held Super Bowl exclusivity from the late 1980s until 2023. That same year, beer's share of MLB sponsorship deals had fallen to 45%, level with RTD cocktails and spirits combined. On the 2025 NFL opening weekend, beer sales dropped while RTDs rose 37.6% and non-alcoholic options 39.7%, and at the White Sox stadium in Chicago, fans now face a craft beer wall of 77+ options. Beer still sells at the stadium, but it has lost its hold on game day.
65% of Gen Z planned to drink less in 2025 and 39% aimed to go fully dry, while the share of Americans who drink at all has fallen to 54%. Drinking less still leaves room for a drink: Athletic Brewing sums up the new pattern as "chaser, pacer, replacer." "Today's fans, especially the younger generation, expect real variety and the flexibility to move between full-strength and non-alcoholic brews during the same occasion," says Furnari.
When Gen Z picks a non-alcoholic option, 44% look at sugar and 26% at calories. Brands have followed: Michelob Ultra Zero sells on low calories and no dehydration, and Heineken 0.0 leads the non-alcoholic category.
Some of it is self-protection. "They grew up with the consequence of being caught on camera; nobody wants to risk social embarrassment," says Marshall. The same self-consciousness shows up in clubs, where videos show young people standing still for fear of being "perceived."
Section Yellow, the Green Bay Packers' sober fan zone at Lambeau Field, has spread to the Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots, and to alcohol-free tailgates at LSU, the University of Texas and the University of Florida.
84% of female sports fans make key sports-related purchase decisions, yet 66% say sports organizations don't understand them. 74% of Gen Z learn about drinks trends on social media, and 53% choose drinks specifically to stand out. Venues are starting to catch up: Barclays Center's $100 million renovation includes a 57-foot bar open to all fans and a premium club with sommeliers.
What this means for brands
- Sponsor the range: exclusive pouring rights belong to the old fan. Build a family that covers every strength, the way Corona and Corona Cero sit side by side.
- Court the fan who switches: most Athletic Brewing drinkers also drink alcohol. The brand has deals with the Kansas City Current and USC Trojans, and pitches zero-proof to USC fans as a way to stay sharp.
- Make the bar a place worth posting: 75% of Gens Z and Y customize their drinks, and Kauffman Stadium's Craft & Draft turned a generic bar into an open-air hangout with 24 taps and 50 bottles, part of game day in its own right.
Canvas8 is a behavioural insights agency whose reports are used by brands and agencies worldwide. This page highlights key findings from the report; the full version is available to Canvas8 members.
Alice Sweitzer
