Organizers of the popular Bayview Mackinac Race have tapped a new sponsor for this year's event after longtime supporter Bell's Brewery Inc. pulled its sponsor dollars.

Detroit-based Atwater Brewery is the new presenting sponsor of the Port Huron-to-Mackinac Island sailboat race, which is entering its 96th year and scheduled for July 11, according to a Monday announcement.

Financial terms of Atwater's one-year deal were not disclosed.

The announcement of the new sponsor signals a change in the event's sponsorship structure and comes as organizers try to make the race more appealing to a younger demographic. That means changes in the competition and race day activations.

Comstock-based Bell's had been title sponsor of the race for the past nine years and the official beer sponsor for two years before that. Owner Larry Bell had been a staunch supporter of the historic race and was credited with putting the wind back in its sails when it needed sponsor funding.

"We had a great run supporting that race as title sponsor. Unfortunately, taking a look at this year, being title sponsor, we just couldn't make the numbers work," Bell told Crain's. "We told Bayview that if there was an opportunity to be a beer sponsor, we wanted to do it, but they changed how they are doing (the sponsorships)."

Bell said the brewery will not have any involvement in the event, and he will not participate in the race as he has several times in the past. He declined to say how much money the company had contributed to the race as title sponsor.

"This is how it goes," he said. "We've had a blast being associated with the race for 11 years. There may come a time when we are associated with the race again, so we look forward to that time."