Brands including Crown Royal, Smirnoff and Captain Morgan will benefit from this new sponsorship deal.

It will include responsible drinking programs, visibility at marquee events such as NFL Honors and advertising at the international series games in London.

Canadian whiskey brand Crown Royal was the first spirits brand to advertise during a televised NFL game with its “Water Break” Responsible Drinking campaign encouraging moderation. 

It will be a key focus for Diageo during this partnership. Spiced rum brand Captain Morgan will also be a presenting sponsor of the NFL’s Fan of the Year contest.

Chief marketing and innovation officer Ed Pilkington said: “NFL games have the powerful ability to bring people together, and that very much ties into what our brands at Diageo are all about: bringing people together to celebrate life.

“This is a perfect match. We are energized about bringing new and exciting programs and experiences to the NFL’s passionate adult fan base, while continuing to use our platform to champion social responsibility in every way.”

Diageo already has sponsorship deals in place with 12 NFL franchises, so it called the deal “a natural progression”.