Fan cans -- the color-coded, sports marketing invention from Budweiser -- are not finding any fans at Kansas University. It's easy to imagine several Jayhawk fans purchasing as many blue and red cans as they can get their hands on -- and that is exactly what concerns university officials.
Jim Marchiony, associate athletics director at KU, told the Associated Press that he wrote Budweiser three weeks ago in an attempt to stop the cans from being distributed in Lawrence:
"I think the major issue is that it appeals to what we think is a large number of underage drinkers. We think that's a mistake on Anheuser-Busch's part."
KU's rival, Kansas State, doesn't see the same issue for the purple and white cans that have begun to show up in Manhattan. Dean of Student Life Pat Bosco had a more laissez-faire attitude when asked about the Bud's promotion for sports fans:
"We don't have our heads in the sand, and we understand there are students who are of age who enjoy a beer or two."
The connection between promoting school colors and encouraging underage drinking does seem a
bit tenuous; the idea that it could help Budweiser's market
share is not. Budweiser's ability to profit off of school pride seems
no different than that of the T-shirt and souvenir sellers outside the stadium.
While
most male party hosts might
not invest in themed-color plates or streamers for a party, a cooler
filled with beer in school-color cans seems like the right kind of
spirit. And that seems perfectly acceptable, as long as they don't
start dyeing the beer.
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