Johnsonville named official sausage of the Milwaukee Brewers
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Johnsonville has been named of the official sausage of the Brewers and Miller Park.
Official sausage of the @Brewers and Miller Park, “brat” to you by Johnsonville.
— Johnsonville (@Johnsonville) January 25, 2018
? credit: Scott Paulus/Milwaukee Brewers pic.twitter.com/gM2ux0GgDI
The news comes after the Klement's announced Tuesday they had discontinued their partnership with the Brewers.
Johnsonville was previously the Brewers' official sausage for 11 seasons from 1978-1988, including during the 1982 World Series games.
In a press release, Johnsonville owner Shelly Stayer confirmed Wednesday that the Sheboygan Falls-based, privately owned family business has signed on as a sponsor for the team and Miller Park. “We thank the Brewers organization for choosing to partner with a family-owned and operated Wisconsin brand,” said Stayer.“Their decision confirms the fact they want their fans to have an exceptional stadium experience.”
Milwaukee Brewers Chief Operating Officer Rick Schlesinger added: “Johnsonville and the MilwaukeeBrewers are Wisconsin heritage brands, and we are excited to announce a partnership that will bring the two organizations together at Miller Park. Sausage and baseball are staples of the summer in Wisconsin, and we’ll be joining forces to continue elevating the Miller Park experience.”
As part of the sponsorship, Brewers fans will still see the Famous Racing Sausages on the roster and Johnsonville will continue to support the race during each Brewers home game before the bottom of the sixth inning.
Johnsonville will also have naming rights to the Club Level All-Inclusive area in Miller Park (formerly known as the Dew Deck) and will be active in the Miller Park parking lots.
Appearing on concession menus at Miller Park will be Johnsonville bratwurst, chorizo, Italian, and Polish sausage options.
A spokesperson for Klement's issued the following statement,
"As Major League Baseball becomes more and more about making money and maximizing profits, it's not surprising that the Brewers chose to go with a national brand over the hometown company. While we valued our 25-year partnership with the Brewers, we're proud to still be the hometown sausage company with a focus on quality over quantity. We will continue to literally hit it out of the park for our loyal customers. Klement's is able to deepen our ties with Milwaukee in new ways by entering into more community partnerships, which we are excited to announce soon. In the meantime, Brewers fans know they can still enjoy our sausages anywhere a grill can be found."