How the Team USA sponsor harnessed hockey fever across watch parties, exhibitions and a ‘Run Back the Miracle’ showcase
For passionate sports fans, the past is as important as the present. That storytelling opportunity inspired an Olympic Winter Games experiential campaign here on home turf for sponsor Michelob ULTRA, which featured custom content, nostalgic venues and watch parties, capped by a fortuitous gold medal win. But more on that in a moment.
One month before the U.S. men’s national hockey team secured its historic gold medal at the Olympic Winter Games in Milano, Italy, Michelob ULTRA on Jan. 15 created a launch point for its freshly inked USA Hockey sponsorship, inviting fans to travel back 46 years to 1980, when Team USA last captured hockey gold. (As another layer to the campaign, the brand is the official beer sponsor of Team USA for the Olympic and Paralympic Games through 2028.)
The immersive showcase at Herb Brooks Arena, in former Olympic host city Lake Placid, NY, titled “Run Back the Miracle,” featured high-definition holograms, full-surface ice projections, archival items, never-before-seen footage from that “Miracle on Ice”-referred game, and chats with former team members.
As the 2026 Winter Games wound down in Italy weeks later, the brand moved to another historic Olympic stomping ground here in the U.S., activating the Michelob ULTRA Summit by TCL, Feb. 19-22, at the Forum at Canyons Village at Park City Mountain Resort in Utah, home of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. The brand offered après-ski watch parties with live event viewing enhanced by TCL (worldwide Olympic partner for technology and innovation), warming stations, live curling competitions on a branded sheet, and other fan-centric activities.
Winter sports fans could also check out an exhibition of archival items from the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, including a USA Hockey jersey signed by “Miracle on Ice” gold medalist Mike Eruzione, the Olympic Winter Games Salt Lake City 2002 torch, and an Olympic Winter Games Lake Placid 1980 gold medal.
Then on Feb. 20, the brand hosted its own closing event featuring a performance by Kygo at the literal summit, the first electronic music producer to perform at the Olympic Games closing ceremony during the 2016 Summer Games in Rio, and the return of night skiing for one night only at the mountain, an activity that hadn’t been offered since 2017.
And while you don’t necessarily need a historic win to take home sponsorship gold, it certainly helps. The U.S. men’s hockey team ultimately secured that gold-medal win against Team Canada on Feb. 22, on the final day of the Summit activations, bringing the brand’s “Run Back the Miracle” showcase full circle.
Fresh off months of Olympics fever, we reached out to Ricardo Marques, vp-marketing for Michelob ULTRA, for insights on the live elements of this full-scale campaign.
Event Marketer: Tell us about these intertwining partnerships, why they make sense for the brand, and the overarching vision for bringing them to life?
Ricardo Marques: Michelob ULTRA has a longstanding history of existing at the intersection of sports and culture, and it’s hard to imagine a place that embodies that spirit better than the Olympic and Paralympic Games… We brought key figures from that [1980] game back to where it all happened at the Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid for an unforgettable evening, perfectly timed to the return of hockey to the Olympic Winter Games stage for the first time since 2014. As part of this moment, we also kicked off a sponsorship with USA Hockey and added the Tkachuk brothers to our roster of Team ULTRA athletes. It was incredible watching them compete on this global stage and ultimately take home the gold—46 years to the day from the historic “Miracle on Ice” game.
EM: Any particular insights on the hockey fandom that inspire you as a marketer?
RM: We’ve seen hockey’s increased popularity in the U.S. continue to grow, especially as the top pros geared up to return to the Olympic stage. We knew this was going to be a big moment and as a brand that champions competitive spirit and is the official beer sponsor of Team USA, we wanted to be a part of the story from the beginning. We’ve found that sports fans really value access—behind-the-scenes moments, nostalgia, and the chance to relive iconic milestones. They have a deep respect for tradition, but they’re also open to innovation when it genuinely enhances the experience. That mix of honoring the heritage of the game while bringing something fresh to the table has really guided how we show up.
EM: ‘Run Back the Miracle’ was so rich in storytelling and technology—give us the highlights, from your perspective, around the creative idea.
RM: “Run Back the Miracle” was about celebrating one of the most iconic moments in sports history and bringing it to life in a new way for Team USA fans. The idea wasn’t just to replay the moment, but to let people feel like they were actually part of it. From a production standpoint, it was all about blending immersive tech with authentic storytelling. We collaborated closely with former players from the 1980 team, legendary broadcaster Al Michaels and used multimedia elements to create something that felt both emotional and interactive.
EM: Turning to the ULTRA Summit Powered by TCL. What were your objectives around what was on offer?
RM: As the official beer sponsor of Team USA, we wanted to create the largest Team USA celebration state-side, where fans could come together and get access to iconic moments beyond the competition. Park City is one of the country’s most iconic winter destinations and is shaped by the legacy of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games and will welcome the world again in 2034.
EM: Finally, how are you measuring the success of the experiential components of the sponsorship?
RM: Our Winter Olympic Games programming is part of a larger strategy that ultimately leads to LA28. In milestone years when major sporting moments collide, we see an opportunity to showcase America’s competitive spirit on the biggest stages in the world. And with the Olympic Games returning to home soil for LA28, we’re continuing to build long-term equity in a space that sits at the heart of our brand.
When it comes to experiential specifically, it’s about creating meaningful connections. We look at things like engagement, and most importantly, whether the experience inspires how people feel about the brand. Top of mind for me is making sure every activation feels authentic, premium, and truly additive to the fan experience. If we’re enhancing how fans connect with the Olympics—and they leave associating that feeling with Michelob ULTRA—that’s a win.
Photo credit: Michelob ULTRA
