(September 10, 2024) – Ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season, Paskenta Mad River Brewery, a tribally owned brewery, has announced a new partnership with the Sacramento Kings. As part of the collaboration, the brewery will be integrated into in-game activations and theme nights as well as a visual presence in-arena via signage for Kings games and concerts and special samplings for fans.
The Humboldt County based brewery shared their enthusiasm about plans on the horizon, including a continued effort to deepen its roots in the Northern California region, driving diversity in the craft beer industry and professional sports. The tribal brewery, owned by The Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians, is one of first tribal breweries in the Unites States, making national headlines in sports when it forged ties with the San Francisco Giants in 2022, a first-of-its-kind partnership between a tribally owned brewery and a professional baseball team.
“A partnership with the Sacramento Kings is a natural fit. We love the sport of basketball, as well as the Kings fan base and community. Craft beer has so much history in Northern California, and partnering with a local team with a massive platform is a key part in sharing our craft,” said Linda Cooley, General Manager of Paskenta Mad River Brewery. “It is inspiring, working with partners who understand our vision and are excited about what we are doing to transform craft beer and sports.”
The brewery, which has released several new products tied to environmental and social endeavors in the past few years, forges onward, continuing on a path to center Indigenous voices and initiatives.
“We are thrilled to partner with the Kings, elevating Indigenous visibility and opportunity,” said Tribal Chairman Andrew “Dru” Alejandre. “This partnership highlights the forward progress we are making, in Indian Country and beyond.”
In November 2021, The Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians opened The Paskenta Brewery and Distillery, becoming the first tribal-owned distillery in California. With the acquisition of Paskenta Mad River Brewery earlier this year, the Tribe is expanding their brand and leading the way for Native American craft beer and spirits. The brewery, which has been producing award-winning ales since 1989, has been recognized more recently for their social and environmental impact and unique craft products. In 2020 they released a hard seltzer line, Undammed, a hard seltzer made with hops, named in tribute to the largest dam removal in US history. In 2023, they introduced a new beer style, an Indigenous Ale, supporting regenerative agriculture and intertribal commerce.
The Sacramento Kings have been a champion of diversity, equity and inclusion in the league, using their platform to help address inequity and investing time and resources. The franchise was recognized as NBA’s Team of the Year in 2023 and the 2019 and 2020 NBA Inclusion Innovation Award winner, the only team to win the award twice in a row. This new partnership with Paskenta Mad River Brewing echoes the Kings spirit of innovation and inclusion, affirming that basketball is a place for Indigenous recognition.
ABOUT THE PASKENTA BAND OF NOMLAKI INDIANS
The Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians employs over 500 team members, most of whom work full time with health care benefits and 401k options. Each year, hundreds of thousands of guests visit Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians’ enterprises, bringing with them tourist dollars that benefit the local economy. The Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians are strong community partners supporting local programs through generous grants and sponsorships. The Paskenta Nomlaki Foundation donates hundreds of thousands of dollars to community organizations each year, with over $9 million donated to benefit local health, safety, and education programs.
ABOUT PASKENTA MAD RIVER BREWERY
Paskenta Mad River Brewery, a women-led Independent Craft Brewery located in Humboldt County, California has been brewing best-quality beers for more than three decades. MRB employs a time-honored, cut-no-corners approach to hand-crafting the finest quality ales, receiving four Gold Medals, four Silver Medals and one Bronze Medal from the Great American Beer Festival, which offers the most prestigious awards in the industry. Celebrating their 35th anniversary this year, the tribally owned craft brewery is recognized globally for award-winning ales such as their flagship Steelhead Extra Pale Ale, and their Jamaica Red Ale. The brewery’s portfolio of craft beverages includes new and reinvented products that highlight important endeavors, setting a standard for environmental and social responsibility in the industry.