Kendall-Jackson bets big on sports to reach new wine drinkers

Wine isn't what often immediately comes to mind when you think of drinks and sports partnerships - especially not still wine. While beer brands pour millions into marketing around events like the Super Bowl, and fizz historically and traditionally dominates the podiums, still wine has arguably been sidelined.

But Kendall-Jackson is trying to change that. Over the past five years, the California-based winery has entered into long-term partnerships with both the NBA and the Kentucky Derby, positioning itself as a visible player in some of America’s biggest sporting events. It’s a move that marks a shift from traditional wine marketing tactics, and one that’s clearly aimed at reaching younger, more diverse, and more digitally engaged consumers.

Whether this strategy will be widely adopted by other wine brands remains to be seen - but Kendall-Jackson is betting on it. The question now is whether that bet will deliver results.

Why sports - and why now?

Kendall-Jackson’s push into the sports world wasn’t a random move - it was a calculated attempt to meet new consumers in spaces where wine has traditionally been absent. As Maggie Curry, vice president of Marketing Partnerships at Jackson Family Wines, explained, the decision to align with the NBA and the Kentucky Derby came from a desire to “reach new consumers in non-traditional spaces”.

“Both the NBA and Kentucky Derby are high energy platforms where consumers of all ages experience their love of these sports at the stadiums, in their homes, in restaurants and bars, and on their phones,” she said. “In partnering, Kendall-Jackson can show up and align with these brands in an unexpected way, while elevating the beverage experiences which is a goal of the NBA and Kentucky Derby as well.”

Curry also pointed to the brand’s focus on “smart targeting” to “leverage the power of aligning with these sports brands, and focus their messaging to digitally savvy, younger consumers which is a white space and opportunity for growth.”

Wine as part of the fan experience

So what does wine bring to the sports world that beer and spirits don’t? According to Curry, stadiums and arenas are increasingly aiming to “elevate the overall experience”, especially when it comes to food and beverage offerings. This includes “adding an elevated approach to food and wine pairings, as well as adding a collector element to the suite and court or trackside catering menus.”

“People want to see and be seen with their quality wine choices and enjoy elevated food with their choice,” she said. Basketball in particular has opened the door for wine thanks to what Curry describes as its “player-led reputation as the wine league”, helping to “lessen the mystification around wine and entice more consumers to be more open minded to the beverage.”

Different sports, different drinkers

With partnerships in two very different sports, the Kentucky Derby and the NBA, Kendall-Jackson has had to learn how wine resonates across diverse fanbases. “For the Kentucky Derby where the Mint Julep has the history, we find that the audience is diverse, and not everyone is interested in the Bourbon beverage,” Curry said. “This is where wine can come to the race, and with wine, the flavor profiles run the spectrum from crisp and citrus, to cherry and vanilla notes, so wine offers more of a diverse choice when it comes to the Derby itself.”

Meanwhile, the NBA presents an entirely different opportunity. “Wine is really having a moment, as we see the Players promoting it from a lifestyle perspective, and the stadiums elevating their approach to food and beverage,” Curry said. “This coupled with Kendall-Jackson’s ability to offer sweepstakes to attend games, and to integrate into events such as the NBA All-Star fan fest, and the NBA Draft, really sets the sport up for a great partnership.”

Challenging the fine dining image

Despite wine’s reputation for being reserved for fine dining or special occasions, Curry believes sports platforms, especially the NBA, are helping shift that perception. “Often referred to as, ‘The Wine League’, the NBA showcases wine enthusiasm coming from the players themselves,” she said. “From Netflix’s ‘Starting 5’, where LeBron James is speaking about his love of wine, to Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade starting their own wine brands, the wine and basketball zeitgeist is real, and it starts with the stars of basketball.”

She also pointed to recent activations at NBA All-Star Weekend, where Kendall-Jackson teamed up with snack brand Ruffles to offer a wine and chip pairing experience. “The two brands teamed up to showcase a fun wine and chip tasting and pairing all while interacting and sampling fans with fun photo moments, and live DJ music,” Curry said.

Long term strategy or marketing experiment?

Asked whether this is a niche approach or something that could become part of mainstream wine marketing, Curry said: “I would say that all sports appear to be elevating their approach to the fan experience itself. Wine plays a role in this elevation, and you can see examples across the NBA, PGA, ATP, WTA and others.”

She confirmed that sports partnerships will remain a key part of Kendall-Jackson’s long-term marketing strategy. “Yes, Kendall-Jackson will continue to find ways to reach new and younger consumers, and from the data we are seeing, sports partnerships are an impactful way of reaching our goals.”