Contact: Cassandra Mickens, Coca-Cola UNITED
cassandramickens@ccbcu.com
205-612-6779

For Immediate Release

Coca-Cola UNITED Announced As The World Games 2022

Closing Ceremony Presenting Sponsor

Birmingham, Ala. (Aug. 8, 2021) – Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Inc. (UNITED) is proud to announce that it is the presenting sponsor of The World Games 2022 (TWG2022) Closing Ceremony set for July 17, 2022 at Protective Stadium.

TWG2022, an international multi-sport event organized with the support of the International Olympic Committee, will hold its 11th edition in Birmingham from July 7-17, 2022. An anticipated 3,600 athletes will participate in more than 30 different sports throughout the Games.

The Closing Ceremonies presented by Coca-Cola UNITED will feature performances from several popular musical artists, including, TWG2022 Master of Ceremonies Bootsy Collins, country music supergroup Alabama, the Blind Boys of Alabama, “American Idol” alums Bo Bice, Taylor Hicks and Ruben Studdard, Chuck Leavell, Jamey Johnson, Pastor Mike Jr. and Worth the Wait.

Both the Opening and Closing Ceremonies will feature a 75-piece World Games Orchestra and The World Games Youth Choir, both directed by Dr. Henry Panion, artistic director of TWG2022 and professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

“It’s a huge deal for us to have a company like Coca-Cola UNITED on board,” said TWG2022 CEO Nick Sellers. “They are one of the cornerstone companies of the Birmingham community, and as a presenting sponsor, they’re going to take our Closing Ceremony to a new level. We couldn’t be happier to be working with them.”

Founded in 1902 in Birmingham and headquartered in the Magic City, Coca-Cola UNITED is the third largest bottler of Coca-Cola products in the United States and employs approximately 10,000 people across its six-state footprint of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. Coca-Cola UNITED President and CEO John Sherman said the company looks forward to representing the Birmingham community as part of TWG2022.

“The World Games is a once-in-a-lifetime event for the city of Birmingham,” Sherman said. “The Closing Ceremony will be a celebration of 10 of the best days in the history of our community and we are proud to join in the festivities and lend our support to an event that puts Birmingham front and center.”

–  Stand UNITED –

About Coca-Bottling Company United, Inc.

Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Inc., founded in 1902 and headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, is the second largest privately held Coca-Cola bottler in North America and the third largest bottler of Coca-Cola products in the U.S.  Now with its fifth generation of family working in the business, Coca-Cola UNITED has approximately 10,000 associates located in more than 50 facilities across six southeastern states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee).  Historically significant franchises within our Coca-Cola UNITED family include Chattanooga, the world’s first Coca-Cola bottler; Atlanta, home of the worldwide Coca-Cola System; and Columbus, Georgia, development site of the original Coca-Cola formula.

Coca-Cola UNITED is engaged in the production, marketing and distribution of a diverse portfolio of leading sparkling (Coca-Cola®, Diet Coke®, Coke Zero Sugar®, Dr Pepper®, Sprite®, AHA® and Fanta®) and still (smartwater®, Dasani®, POWERADE®, BODYARMOR®, Fairlife®, Gold Peak®, Monster® and Minute Maid®) non-alcoholic brands under exclusive franchise agreements principally with The Coca-Cola Company® and Keurig Dr Pepper®.

For 119 years, Coca-Cola UNITED has remained true to its foundational core values of Quality, Excellence, Integrity and Respect.  Local relationships, personalized customer service and strong community engagement have been the foundation of our business for more than a century.  Each year, millions of dollars are invested in our local communities, supporting education, community development, sustainability and nonprofit organizations that empower and impact those in need.

About The World Games 2022

The World Games 2022 Birmingham is the new generation of global sport competition, welcoming elite athletes from all over the world to compete for gold in 34 unique, multi-disciplinary sports. Featuring 3,600 athletes from more than 100 countries, the international event will unite global fans with the Birmingham community in 25+ venues around the greater metropolitan area. The World Games 2022 Birmingham, which marks the 40th anniversary of the event, will take place from July 7-17, 2022 and will generate an estimated $256 million in economic impact. The World Games was established by the International World Games Association, an organization recognized by the International Olympic Committee. The World Games 2022 is supported by the International Olympic Committee. For more information visit TWG2022.com or find us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.