Starting this month, players 21 and older who enter IT's Golden Tee Fore! national tournament, will see Michelob Light and O'Doul's logos on the screen. After each hole, the scorecard will show the Michelob Light logo, and instant replays will sport the O'Doul's logo. The game also features a beer tent and a Michelob Light blimp that flies over the course.
"Our partnership with IT's Golden Tee Golf takes Michelob Light's and O'Doul's' involvement with the sport to a new level," said Brad McKeever, Michelob Family Product Manager, Anheuser-Busch, Inc. "The relationship Golden Tee has created with its players through online connectivity is something special, and we're excited about this opportunity to actually place our brands in the game."
"Players will get a kick out of the new features, and with the chance to win Michelob Light prizes, we expect Thursdays to become one of our top tournament days," said Scott Morrison, Executive Director of IT's International Tournament System (ITS), the platform on which IT conducts its tournaments.
In five years, Golden Tee has become a staple in bars and taverns across the country alongside pool tables, jukeboxes, and dartboards. ITS tournaments draw more than 100,000 players each month. With the advent of Golden Tee Fore!, the first coin-operated online video game, players can have their game-play statistics compiled and ranked against other players from across the country. Players may access statistics on the game or through IT's website.
"We've created a community of players who not only compete against each other, but who communicate with each other," said Larry Hodgson, Vice President of Product Development and co-designer of Golden Tee. "Our demographic is men 21-35. We know they want to hang out with their friends, eat and drink, and compete over Golden Tee."
Chicago's On-Premise Marketing facilitated the agreement between IT and Anheuser-Busch. "This is just the first of many opportunities that I anticipate for Golden Tee," said Steve Doroba, CEO, On-Premise. "National marketers are looking for new ways to make an impact, and partnering with Golden Tee targets Anheuser-Busch's consumers perfectly. In addition, the online connection enables content changes to be made fast and easy. We can download new art overnight or add or delete locations however we choose. We can even target specific bars with an exclusive message. And no one has to set a foot inside to make it happen."
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Incredible Technologies, headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, is the second largest designer and manufacturer of coin-operated video games in the U.S. Founded in 1985, IT develops state-of-the-art hardware and software entertainment products, including coin-op, console, and consumer game titles. More information about IT and its products can be found at www.itsgames.com.
Michelob Light and O'Doul's are brewed by Anheuser-Busch, Inc., the world's largest brewer. In addition to their involvement with Golden Tee Fore!, Michelob Light is the official beer sponsor and O'Doul's is the official non-alcohol brew of the PGA TOUR, LPGA Tour and SENIOR PGA TOUR.
