Anheuser-Busch to stop campus Fan Can sales

Anheuser-Busch has agreed to stop selling cream and crimson Bud Light cans in the vicinity of IU’s campus.

On Aug. 21, IU’s Director of Licensing and Trademarks Valerie Gill sent Anheuser-Busch’s legal department a cease and desist letter.

“Indiana University believes that marketing the red and white Bud Light Team Pride Can in the general vicinity of our campuses could promote underage drinking and preys upon the goodwill of the University,” Gill said in the letter. “We are respectfully notifying you that such use is not authorized by Indiana University. As such, I ask that you cease and desist selling and promoting the red and white Bud Light Team Pride can in the vicinity of Indiana University campuses.”

On Sept. 4, Anheuser-Busch obliged in a letter to the University that they will no longer sell the Fan Cans within the IU community, but they did not give a specific date in which selling will stop.

Anheuser-Busch maintains that it is allowed to sell their products with IU’s color schemes, but will remove the fan cans to prevent conflict.

Purdue University also sent Anheuser-Busch a cease and desist letter, and the black and gold beer cans are being removed from the West Lafayette area, said Teri Thompson, vice president for Marketing and Media at Purdue University.

Purdue and IU join other schools such as the University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, University of Iowa and University of Wisconsin to remove the Fan Can program from their university’s campus area, Thompson said.