Johnsonville takes over sponsorship of Famous Racing Sausages

The Famous Racing Sausages are free agents no longer.

The Milwaukee Brewers and Sheboygan Falls-based Johnsonville Sausage said Wednesday evening that Johnsonville will be the new sponsor of the hugely popular racing sausages at Miller Park.

The Brat, Polish, Italian, Hot Dog and Chorizo will continue racing during the bottom of the sixth inning of each game at Miller Park in the same uniforms they have always worn but under the sponsorship of Johnsonville.

"Their brand aligns so well with us," Milwaukee Brewers Chief Operating Officer Rick Schlesinger said Wednesday in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "We think we can help each other's brands and marketing strategies and businesses and provide a great quality product for the fans.

"If you look at all the things that are important to us, the Johnsonville relationship really hit it out of the park, if I can add a pun," Schlesinger said.

The multiyear agreement — exact terms were not disclosed — between the Brewers and Johnsonville involves more than sprinting sausages.

In addition to the sausage race, Johnsonville has the naming rights to the Club Level all-inclusive area in Miller Park, formerly known as the Dew Deck.

Johnsonville also will be active in the Miller Park parking lots, bringing an interactive experience to tailgating fans.

Then there is the Miller Park menu. The stadium concession stands will feature Johnsonville bratwurst, chorizo, Italian and Polish sausages.

The agreement marks the second time Johnsonville and the Brewers have formed a team. Johnsonville was the team's official sausage for 11 seasons from 1978-1988, including during the 1982 World Series.

“We’re ecstatic to be back in the stadium,” said Shelly Stayer, family owner of Johnsonville. “Today is a real tribute to Wisconsin-owned family businesses, emphasis on Wisconsin.”

With the new agreement, Johnsonville replaces Milwaukee-based Klement Sausage Co. as the sponsor of the sausages at Miller Park. Klement had sponsored the racing links for 25 years.

Any change to the racing sausages is not something that is taken lightly, Schlesinger said.

"The racing sausages are an iconic mascot. They have international appeal," he said. "Because of that, any relationship that we have with a brand and a company and the racing sausages is something we take very seriously."

RELATED: Klement's out as sponsor of Milwaukee Brewers' Famous Racing Sausages

RELATED: Hola, Chorizo! Brewers look south of the border for new racing sausage

RELATED: Pittsburgh player questioned after racing sausage is whacked with bat at Miller Park

RELATED: Jagler: Johnsonville Sausage chairman offers 7 key questions business leaders should ask themselves

The ball club also takes the food at Miller Park very seriously. The fans make sure of that, Schlesinger said.

"It’s not just about aligning brands. It’s about providing quality products to our fans who have very discriminating tastes and are very sophisticated about the types of food they want served at Miller Park," he said. "Critical for us was providing a product that we know our fans treasure and enjoy and are going to love."

Stayer said the agreement is familiar territory for Johnsonville.

"We’re in the sausage business. We are in the concession business, the stadium business, the arena business," she said. "This is the world we play in. For us, it’s business as usual."

That said, being in Wisconsin and sponsoring the sausage race is special to the company. "We love the racing sausages," she said.

Johnsonville also is the official sausage of Lambeau Field in Green Bay.

Look for some special sausage flavors to pop up at the stadium from time to time, Stayer said.

"Certainly it is on my mind that we would love to produce a few small batch, really cool flavors and bring them to Miller Park," she said.

Johnsonville employs about 1,600 people. Founded in 1945 by the late Ralph F. and Alice Stayer, the privately held company remains family owned today, providing sausage products in 40 countries.

Among other sausage businesses associated with the Brewers, Milwaukee-based Usinger's said it will continue its relationship with legendary Brewers radio broadcaster Bob Uecker for the coming season.

Pitchers and catchers will report to spring training Feb. 14.