TITLETOWN (NBC 26) — The restaurants inside the NFL Draft footprint — like Hinterland Brewery — may be the only places visitors can get a locally-made beer at the Draft.
- Draft title sponsor Bud Light, owned by Anheuser-Busch has a strong hold on the beer sales at concession stands throughout the Draft site, according to a National Football League representative that spoke with NBC 26
- The league says the food offerings will be diverse, with Wisconsin-themed food from concessionare Delaware North, a farmer's market on April 26, and local food trucks offering including things from fish fry to Jamaican food
- The league says local businesses have been great partners for the event, and that it hopes to bring an economic boost to the area
- We spoke with two local breweries about where Draft-goers can sip a Wisconsin beer — read on for the details
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story, with additional details added for web)
As we Drive to the Draft, we're starting to get an idea of what beer you can taste and sip on during the event.
Your Titletown neighborhood reporter Karl Winter tells us what's on the menu.
Watch the full story here:
We're at Hinterland Brewery, where folks will be able to grab a draught, craft beer during the Draft — but this is one of the only places in the entire Draft footprint that locally-made beers will be available.
You may have noticed one major piece of NFL Draft branding — it's officially the NFL Draft presented by Bud Light.
"The expectation is we have a lot of Anheuser-Busch product flowing over the course of those three days," said Nicki Ewell, the NFL's senior director of events.
The league says alcohol stands at the Draft will feature league partners, including drinks make with Diageo liquor (which owns brands like Smirnoff and Crown Royal), Gallo wine, and, yes, Bud Light.
"We, of course, want to make sure that our partner, Anheuser-Busch, and Bud Light, is in every single responsible 21-year old's hand, who's not a designated driver," Ewell said.
Ewell noted the event is also family-friendly and sober-friendly, with mocktail bars, water bottle-filling stations, and programming for children.
But for restaurants like Hinterland that are inside the Draft footprint, the question we asked Ewell is:
"Can they still sell Wisconsin beers at their establishments?"
"They can," she said. "Of course, want to celebrate our partner, but yes, technically, in the state of Wisconsin, you can have, there's other products available on a limited basis."
"We're still able to sell our beer, which is our main selling point," said Hinterland director of restaurant operations Melissa Clark. "So we're excited about that."
Hinterland can sell its beer at the restaurant, and on the adjoining patio, but patrons cannot take it beyond that, like to the Draft theater, per liquor license rules, according to Ewell. Meanwhile, Bud Light products can be carried all around the campus, according to the NFL.
While the league promises local fare and food trucks will be featured prominently on the food menu, Hinterland and the other restaurants inside the footprint may be the only places visitors can get a Wisconsin brew.
"We are very excited to be showcasing a Wisconsin brand inside the footprint and showing the fans visiting from outside what Wisconsin beer is all about," Clark said.
Just outside the Draft footprint, another brewery, Badger State, says folks may have to come beyond the Draft for the Wisconsin beers.
"As soon as people come outside the fence and come visit us, I think that's where we're able to step in and really provide kind of that cool local vibe or local feel with our products," said Badger State president and founder Andrew Fabry.
Badger State, Hinterland, and seven other local breweries collaborated to brew a limited edition beer for the Draft, called the 8th Round Downtown Pale Ale (check out the video above to watch it being canned) — but it's not being advertised to be sold at stands inside the Draft, just downtown and at the breweries themselves.
"I wish that [selling inside the Draft] was something we would have been invited to be a part of, but at the same time, it's the NFL," Fabry said. "They're getting paid big bucks by their sponsors. So that's up to them."
And with the days until the Draft ticking down, both local establishments and the NFL are building up for the final push.
"Our team is at the point where we're kind of just ready to go," Fabry said.
"We know people are going to be there to celebrate, and the vibes will be strong," Ewell said.
Ewell also says the Draft will be a boon for the businesses inside and outside the footprint.
"All the local vendors that come in, and even [concessions provider] Delaware North, they're keeping all of that money," she said. "So whatever they pay for food costs and staffing is, of course, the hard cost, but they keep the revenue related to food and non-alcoholic beverages."
The entire Draft campus area — including Hinterland — will be closed the day before the first round of the Draft after a security sweep, but then the restaurant's hours will mirror the hours of the Draft itself starting Thursday, April 24.
The NFL says the most up-to-date Draft details can be found on the NFL OnePass app.
