March 11, 2026

Stepping Up to the Plate: How Yuengling Found Its Voice with Cubs Fans

By Audacy Insights Team

When Yuengling entered the Chicago market last spring, it faced a familiar challenge. New city. Crowded category. Plenty of noise. What the brand needed wasn’t just awareness, but a unique way to stand out.

Sports radio made sense immediately. But Yuengling wasn’t interested in a standard spots-and-dots schedule. The brand wanted something deeper: an ownership position tied to the Chicago Cubs. The strategy was simple and smart: sound like Chicago, show up where fans live, and earn credibility quickly.

The Campaign: Custom-built for Avid Cubs Fans

Endorsements

The solution started with local credibility. Rather than relying on national creative built for other markets, Yuengling leaned into natural host endorsements from Ron Coomer, the Cubs’ color commentator and a voice local 104.3 The Score fans know and trust. The reads felt authentic — because they were.

Yuengling & Ron Coomer

Ownership That Matters

From there, the partnership expanded into a true ownership play. Yuengling became the Official Beer of the Cubs Radio Network, surrounding game coverage with consistent branding that reached fans before the first pitch and long after the final out.

On-Premise Activations

The partnership extended beyond the broadcast with branded retail and on-premise events that connected what fans heard on the radio to what they saw in stores and bars. The result was a full-funnel presence that moved from awareness to action.

The Impact

The impact was immediate. The campaign helped Yuengling break through in a new market and establish itself with the most valuable audience in sports: diehard fans.

As the client put it: “THIS IS A BEST-IN-CLASS EXAMPLE OF PARTNERSHIP. THANK YOU!!”

This was Yuengling’s ticket to the fans — not through a multimillion-dollar national sponsorship, but by owning a trusted local voice and the moments that matter most. The result was a blockbuster first year and a playbook for how smart local radio partnerships can deliver box-seat impact with bleacher budgets.

The partnership with Yuengling was a great example of what happens when Sales and Programming work together to build something meaningful for fans. It was exciting to see the Cubs Radio Network and The Score brand come to life across Chicagoland — especially with a trusted voice like Ron Coomer helping connect Yuengling to Cubs fans.

Mitch Rosen

Vice President, The Score

Why It Worked: Fans Support the Brands That Support Their Teams

Sports fandom creates a powerful relationship between brands and audiences.

Research shows sports radio listeners are:

135% more likely to feel positive about brands that support their favorite teams
100% more likely to support those brands in return

When brands align with the teams fans care about most, they become part of the experience rather than an interruption.

As another MLB season gets underway, the lesson is clear. Sports fans reward the brands that show up for their teams. When advertisers connect with those moments through trusted voices and passionate communities, they’re not just running ads. They’re becoming part of the conversation.

Content originally published in State of Audio: Sports Fandom

Looking for more sports insights? Download the full playbook.