FanNation - The Republic of Sport

So its Friday, and what is up Fannation? Where is everybody - out in private chat groups or something? Its just seems like a tremendously dead day out on FN - not even djroxalot's presence in the Throwdown Arena is making this one any good. Is everybody asleep out there? Already gone for the weekend? Are you in post-NBA Finals comas? Maybe its just that, and this website still has some juice left in it. I hope so. I'd give anything to see Mario reappear right now with his "YOU DON'T KNOW YOUR LEFT CHEEK FROM YOUR RIGHT!" about now. I need a smile to land upon my face. Otherwise, it just makes the clock ticking down the hours until quitting time and Beer-Thirty take that much longer.

There is much happening in the world of beer at the moment. In case you live under a rock, or are under 21 and don't care - surely you have heard the news of the Inbev company of Belgium's bid to buy American icon beer Budweiser. As sports fans, this may be more significant to you than your first glance may realize. Budweiser is the official beer sponsor for 28 NFL teams. Budweiser pours $500 million per year just into advertising. You would be hard pressed to find any televised major sporting event in the USA that's not promoted by Bud or its chief rival Miller (who are in the process of acquiring Coors). InBev has a corporate reputation as cost-cutters. Without the cash cow that is beer advertising, how that could affect our favorite sport is something to consider.

Budweiser is looking into purchasing Grupo Modelo - the makers of Corona among others, as a move to block the takeover bid. Bud already owns 50% of Modelo, and the acquisition would make them too large a purchase for InBev. This Friday morning, Carlos Fernandez, the CEO of Modelo, resigned from the Anheuser Busch board of directors. Grupo Modelo is a family owned business, and analysts have said it seems unlikely that the family voting trust, controlled by Fernandez's uncle and the family patriarch, Antonino Fernandez, would sell out to Anheuser-Busch.

InBev is a Belgium based company but run by Brazilian money men. They have accumulated such brands as Stella Artois, Beck's, LaBatt's and Bass. They have offered $46.35 Billion to take over AB. The Euro just buys a lot more dollars than it used to. InBev is known for squeezing the fat from its acquisitions, and Carlos Brito, Inbev's CEO, thinks savings from the deal could be worth $1.4 billion a year by 2011. Where will this savings come from? Surely they will be able to negotiate better prices for the price of hops, barley, glass and aluminium, which have been rising fast. Together they would have an extensive distribution network.

Personally, I truly cannot stand the taste of Budweiser. As an American, I almost feel a sense of shame, when talking to folks from foreign countries in regards to beer. When the subject of great beer comes up, they inevitable bring up that great American beer - Bud, and easily criticize it to shreds - and legitimately. Meanwhile, what can one patriotic American beer drinker say in return? "Uh, but they have the best commercials"? Pitiful. The taste of Budweiser has been a source of embarrassment to Americans everywhere. However, merger or not, this will probably not be affected. Budweiser will not be changing their recipe, only changing who the money goes to. The real thing at stake here, even if you don't enjoy Bud, is that. Its great that InBev has promised they would keep St Lious as the North American headquarters and flagship brewery. But as we sell off our icons for the almighty and more powerful than the American Dollar -  Euros, we might be heading down a path difficult to return from. Without getting political here, we all know whats at stake, even if you don't live in St Louis. Jobs, quality of life and a little bit of American pride. Even us microbrew beer drinkers can understand that. Have a good weekend - for me its still 6 hours away - but Beer - Thirty approaches.