PepsiCo has inked an exclusive soft drink and salty snacks partnership across SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park, giving it a major presence at the upcoming Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers home that will open in 2020.
Opening July 2020, SoFi Stadium, the future home of the Chargers and Rams, is located at Hollywood Park, a 298-acre global sports and entertainment destination being developed by Los Angeles Rams Owner/Chairman E. Stanley Kroenke. Adjacent to the stadium and under the same roof canopy is the 2.5-acre American Airlines Plaza and a 6,000-seat performance venue, which will hold a variety of events throughout the year, including esports, award shows, concerts and more. The mixed-use development will also feature a mix of residential, retail, and commercial spaces, as well as more than 20 acres of parkland for the community to enjoy.
“For more than 84 years, PepsiCo has been a part of the fabric of Los Angeles, and we couldn’t be more excited that a development like Hollywood Park will be opening in our backyard,” said Kris Licht, president of PepsiCo Beverages North America West Division. “What Stan Kroenke is developing with SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park will combine everything we could want in a sports, music and entertainment destination, and we look forward to offering our refreshing beverages, delicious snacks and unforgettable experiences in what is bound to become the most talked about location in Los Angeles.”
As a founding partner of Hollywood Park, PepsiCo will gain category-exclusive marketing, sponsorship and promotional rights across the development, as well as certain soft drink and snacking rights for SoFi Stadium, the performance venue and American Airlines Plaza. PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay division will lead the snacking experience with brands that could include Tostitos, the Official Chip & Dip of the NFL. In addition, PepsiCo will host a 46,000-square-foot space in the stadium’s south zone, where fans can experience a series of culinary and entertainment activations.
“PepsiCo is an iconic brand that is synonymous with excellence and creating some of the world’s greatest entertainment, from discovering up-and-coming artists to producing celebrated Super Bowl halftime performances,” said Jason Gannon, managing director, SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park. “PepsiCo’s fan-first approach to entertainment aligns with our goal to deliver a new global stage that will host world-renowned acts and events. SoFi Stadium is already home to Super Bowl LVI and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2028 Olympic Games, and we are excited to partner with PepsiCo to continue to add to the extraordinary experiences that are coming to Los Angeles when we open in July 2020.”
This partnership will further align PepsiCo with the NFL and its two home teams in Los Angeles. PepsiCo will gain sponsorship, soft drink and certain snacking rights to the Rams, a recent partner of the brand, and the Chargers, a longstanding PepsiCo partner for the past 15 years.
“PepsiCo has been a tremendous partner to the Chargers for the better part of two decades,” said A.G. Spanos, Los Angeles Chargers president of Business Operations. “As we move into our new SoFi Stadium home in 2020, it’s nice to have a member of the family joining us. More importantly, through first-hand experience, it’s exciting to know that we have a world-class partner in PepsiCo who is aligned with our belief that the fan comes first in everything we do.”
To celebrate the kickoff of its exclusive partnership with SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park, PepsiCo will host SoFi Stadium’s first tailgate party for the people responsible for building the stadium. The party celebrates the approximately 3,000 construction workers on-site every day and will feature a series of games, food and beverages, and a performance from one of the pioneers of West Coast hip-hop, Warren G.
“For years, PepsiCo and the NFL have teamed up to combine the best of football and entertainment, a pairing that will be elevated by what Mr. Kroenke is building at Hollywood Park,” said Kevin Demoff, Los Angeles Rams COO. “This partnership will enhance gamedays for our fans and the year-round experience for all who visit this extraordinary development. We are ecstatic to kick off this relationship by throwing the first party for SoFi Stadium, rightfully celebrating the thousands of people who are building this transformative building that will set a new standard for what PepsiCo, the NFL and its teams can do together.”
Since 1935, PepsiCo has employed more than 41,000 associates in California and currently has more than 11,000 associates in the state. The brand opened its first bottler in Los Angeles in 1936 and has over 40 PepsiCo Foodservice partners in Inglewood alone.
Rendering courtesy Los Angeles Stadium and Entertainment District at Hollywood Park.
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