(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a beer manufacturer, holder of a winegrower’s license, winegrower’s agent, holder of an importer’s general license, distilled spirits manufacturer, holder of a distilled spirits rectifiers general license, or a distilled spirits manufacturer’s agent may sponsor events promoted by, and may purchase advertising space and time from, or on behalf of, a live entertainment marketing company subject to all of the following conditions:
(1) The live entertainment marketing company is a wholly owned subsidiary of a live entertainment company that has its principal place of business in the County of Los Angeles, whose shares of stock are sold to the general public on a national stock exchange, and also owns subsidiaries that hold on-sale retail licenses.
(2) The sponsorship and the advertising space or time is purchased only in connection with the promotion of live artistic, musical, sports, or cultural entertainment events at entertainment facilities, auditoriums, or arenas that are designed and used for live artistic, musical, sports, or cultural entertainment events.
(3) (A) Any on-sale licensee operating at a venue where live artistic, musical, sports, or cultural entertainment events are performed pursuant to a sponsorship described in this section or where advertising is purchased as described in this section shall serve other brands of beer, distilled spirits, and wine in addition to any brand manufactured or distributed by the sponsoring or advertising beer manufacturer, holder of a winegrower’s license, winegrower’s agent, holder of an importer’s general license, distilled spirits manufacturer, holder of a distilled spirits rectifiers general license, or a distilled spirits manufacturer’s agent.
(B) Any on-sale retail licensee owned by the live entertainment company described in paragraph (1) shall serve other brands of beer, distilled spirits, and wine in addition to any brand manufactured or distributed by the sponsoring or advertising beer manufacturer, holder of a winegrower’s license, winegrower’s agent, holder of an importer’s general license, distilled spirits manufacturer, holder of a distilled spirits rectifiers general license, or a distilled spirits manufacturer’s agent.
(4) (A) Advertising space or time purchased pursuant to this section shall not be placed in any on-sale licensed premises where the on-sale retail licensee is owned by the live entertainment company, or any of its subsidiaries, described in paragraph (1).
(B) Sponsorship provided pursuant to this section shall not be allowed if the event or activity is held at or in any on-sale licensed premises where the on-sale retail licensee is owned by the live entertainment company, or any of its subsidiaries, described in paragraph (1).
(5) An agreement for the sponsorship of, or for the purchase of advertising space and time during, a live artistic, musical, sports, or cultural entertainment event shall not be conditioned directly or indirectly, in any way, on the purchase, sale, or distribution of any alcoholic beverage manufactured or distributed by the advertising or sponsoring beer manufacturer, holder of a winegrower’s license, winegrower’s agent, holder of an importer’s general license, distilled spirits manufacturer, holder of a distilled spirits rectifiers general license, or a distilled spirits manufacturer’s agent by the live entertainment company described in paragraph (1) or by any on-sale retail licensee that is owned by the live entertainment company.
(b) Any sponsorship of events or purchase of advertising space or time conducted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be conducted pursuant to a written contract entered into by the beer manufacturer, holder of a winegrower’s license, winegrower’s agent, holder of an importer’s general license, distilled spirits manufacturer, holder of a distilled spirits rectifiers general license, or a distilled spirits manufacturer’s agent and the live entertainment marketing company.
(c) Any beer manufacturer, holder of a winegrower’s license, winegrower’s agent, holder of an importer’s general license, distilled spirits manufacturer, holder of a distilled spirits rectifiers general license, or a distilled spirits manufacturer’s agent who, through coercion or other illegal means, induces, directly or indirectly, a holder of a wholesaler’s license to fulfill those contractual obligations entered into pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding six months, or by a fine in an amount equal to the entire value of the advertising space or time involved in the contract, whichever is greater, plus ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by both imprisonment and fine. The person shall also be subject to license revocation pursuant to Section 24200.
(d) Any on-sale retail licensee who, directly or indirectly, solicits or coerces a holder of a wholesaler’s license to solicit a beer manufacturer, holder of a winegrower’s license, winegrower’s agent, holder of an importer’s general license, distilled spirits manufacturer, holder of a distilled spirits rectifiers general license, or a distilled spirits manufacturer’s agent to purchase advertising time or space pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding six months, or by a fine in an amount equal to the entire value of the advertising space or time involved in the contract, whichever is greater, plus ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by both imprisonment and fine. The person shall also be subject to license revocation pursuant to Section 24200.
(e) For purposes of this section, “beer manufacturer” includes a holder of a beer manufacturer’s license, a holder of an out-of-state beer manufacturer’s certificate, or a holder of a beer and wine importer’s general license.
(f) Nothing in this section shall authorize the purchasing of advertising space or time directly from, or on behalf of, any on-sale licensee.
(g) Nothing in this section shall authorize a beer manufacturer, holder of a winegrower’s license, winegrower’s agent, holder of an importer’s general license, distilled spirits manufacturer, holder of a distilled spirits rectifiers general license, or a distilled spirits manufacturer’s agent to furnish, give, or lend anything of value to an on-sale retail licensee described in subdivision (a) except as expressly authorized by this section or any other provision of this division.
(Added by Stats. 2007, Ch. 349, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2008.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018