It’s Opening Day for America’s pastime, and Anheuser-Busch wants to ensure that people celebrate America’s game by drinking American beer, not “domestic beer.”
“I don’t like the word ‘domestic,’” Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth wrote on Feb. 5 as he began the campaign to drop “domestic” from Opening Day menus. “It’s a word that, for some reason, has been used for years to describe American-made beer. It shows up too frequently on bar menus, at beer stands, and in grocery aisles. It appears in reports and is used by syndicated data providers. All because folks innocently don’t know any better.
“Every time I see it, I have a negative reaction. I’ve thought about it a lot. I’ve talked about it with people, now and again. Until now, I’ve never actually done anything about it.”
The move marks an effort to capture the pride and commitment of the American beer industry.
“Six teams – the Los Angeles Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals, and Cincinnati Reds – will have Anheuser-Busch’s “American beer” on their menus,” Fox News reports. “Four other teams are set to join at later dates.”
Cardinals President Bill Dewitt III enthusiastically supported Anheuser-Busch’s campaign.
“Fewer things go better together than baseball and beer, and for many fans, enjoying a beer with friends or family while watching a game is part of what makes baseball America’s Pastime,” Dewitt III said. “At the St. Louis Cardinals, we are proud of our partnership with Anheuser-Busch, which brings together two iconic traditions and has been a quintessential part of the Cardinals’ gameday experience for 21+ baseball fans for years.”
MLB isn’t alone in dropping domestic in favor of American, dozens of bars and restaurants have also joined the campaign.
