Michelob ULTRA has launched an integrated campaign as part of its sponsorship of Capital One’s live golf event, “The Match: Champions For Charity,” featuring Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Set to air on May 24, the match will mark the second televised golf event since the onset of the pandemic. Michelob is promoting golf’s return through branded digital content, new television spots, an in-game giveaway and a social media giveaway.

Ahead of the event, Michelob ULTRA is releasing digital content produced in partnership with the film Caddyshack. The deepfake technology-enabled videos will feature Peyton Manning’s face and voice in two popular scenes from the film, and live on Michelob’s social media channels. In addition, Michelob will donate $150,000 to the American Red Cross, Manning’s charity of choice.

During the event, Michelob will also run two new television spots, which feature a golf beer cart that viewers can enter for a chance to win, in addition to Caddyshack-themed merchandise. Fans can enter by following Michelob ULTRA on Twitter and using the hashtag #ULTRAPrizeScramble #Sweepstakes.

And, if any of the four players hits a hole-in-one during the match, Michelob will give away a free six-pack to everyone aged 21 and over in the US.

The pandemic hit the sports industry hard, forcing professional sports leagues to cancel the rest of the season and marketers to engage fandom via digital and social activations. Over the weekend, the NASCAR Cup Series Real Heroes 400 race and the TaylorMade Driving Relief golf event, respectively, aired, offering some semblance of normalcy.

According to Nielsen data, the Real Heroes 400 race brought in an average television viewership of 6.3 million people, about 239 percent more than the 1.9 million viewers of the 2019 Bojangles Southern 500.

In addition, Nielsen reports that about 41 percent of viewers of the first day of the 2020 Players Championship, the last major PGA event since the pandemic hit, tuned in to TaylorMade Driving Relief event. Plus, of the 2.3 million viewers that watched the TaylorMade event across NBC platforms, over a quarter comprised people aged 18-49.

In the eighth wave of The Harris Poll’s COVID survey, conducted between April 18-20 among 2,029 US adults, nearly half say they miss watching sports on television (45 percent) and attending sporting events in person (49 percent).

Though fans may long for the return of live sports events, COVID will undoubtedly impact the physical experience. In the 11th wave of The Harris Poll’s COVID survey, conducted from May 8-10 among 2,030 adults, nearly three quarters (73 percent) of respondents said they’re more likely to live stream sports at home vs. attending live sports events in person (27 percent).

Before they head back to the stadium, Americans want to see sanitation upgrades implemented, such as cleaning services guaranteeing hygienic wiping down of seats (43 percent); hand sanitizer at every seat (40 percent); mandatory masks for food vendors (39 percent); stadium seating configured for social distancing (35 percent) and maximum capacity limits to ensure six feet between patrons and staff (35 percent).