Miller-Coors Merger Could Create Company to Rival Anheuser-Busch

Two major beer companies merge and Anheuser-Busch may have met its marketing match.

With SABMiller and Molson Coors' decision to merge U.S. operations, the combined companies will have "marketing firepower to compete on a more equal footing with rival Anheuser-Busch," says the Wall Street Journal, and will be able to "push for lower ad prices and better sports-marketing deals, a key to success in the beer sector."

Another question: What will the new company name mean to two National League ballparks - Coors Field in Denver and Miller Park in Milwaukee? Both local papers say status quo should be the choice.

Coors spokesperson Kabira Hatland said it is "too early for the company to consider changing the names of any venues,'' according to the
Denver Post.

"The Miller and Coors names will continue to have value as separate brand names. So there's no point in changing the names of the baseball parks for the [Brewers] and [Rockies],'' writes Tom Daykin in the
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Good point. There have been enough Enron-Field-to-Minute-Maid-Park-type changes (see Houston Astros) of stadium names in recent years. Assuredly there will be cross promotions touting the new larger company.

Leaving the ballpark names alone would be wise.