SWEET HEART NAMED OFFICIAL WINE & CIDER OF THE COLORADO EAGLES

Multi-year partnership introduces the Sweet Heart Lounge, Patriot Bar and new fan experiences at Blue Arena, connecting two homegrown Northern Colorado brands

LOVELAND, CO., October 6, 2026: Two of Northern Colorado’s most recognizable homegrown brands are joining forces. Sweet Heart Wine & Cider and the Colorado Eagles today announced a multi-year partnership naming Sweet Heart the Official Wine & Cider of the Colorado Eagles, bringing together two organizations built in Northern Colorado around community, hospitality and memorable experiences.

As part of the partnership, Sweet Heart wines and locally produced ciders will be available for purchase during Colorado Eagles games and other events at Blue Arena, while the Sweet Heart Lounge, adjacent to the Patriot Bar, will create a dedicated gathering place for fans prominently on the main concourse.

“Sweet Heart is exactly the kind of Northern Colorado partner we’re excited to welcome to the Eagles family,” said Ryan Bach, president of the Colorado Eagles. “They’ve built a tremendous local following by focusing on hospitality, community and creating memorable experiences. Those values align naturally with what we work to create for Eagles fans every night at Blue Arena. We’re excited about what we can build together and the new experiences this partnership will bring to our fans.”

“The Eagles have built an extraordinary organization with a championship tradition and an incredibly loyal following,” said Dylan Kaczeus, General Manager of Wholesale & Business Development for Sweet Heart Brands. “Sweet Heart is experiencing tremendous growth of our own. This partnership lets us introduce our wine and cider brands to thousands of people while doing it alongside an organization already deeply connected to Northern Colorado.”

“Local matters,” said Tammie Larson, Vice President of Events & Marketing for Sweet Heart Brands. “The Eagles didn’t just build a successful hockey organization; they became part of the fabric of Northern Colorado. Sweet Heart has grown the same way, one guest, one member and one experience at a time. These are our customers, our neighbors, our employees, our friends and our families. Bringing these two Northern Colorado brands together just makes sense.”

A CHAMPIONSHIP TRADITION BUILT IN NORTHERN COLORADO

Since their inaugural season in 2003, the Colorado Eagles have built a championship tradition spanning three leagues, with four league championships, seven conference championships, nine regular-season division championships and 22 postseason appearances. The organization has reached the postseason every season in which playoffs were held.

Colorado captured the Central Hockey League’s Ray Miron President’s Cup in 2005 and 2007, followed by back-to-back ECHL Kelly Cup championships in 2017 and 2018. The Eagles joined the American Hockey League for the 2018–19 season and today serve as the primary affiliate of the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche.

That success has continued at the AHL level. In 2025–26, Colorado recorded its fourth consecutive 40-win season and reached the Western Conference Final for the first time in its AHL history. Following the season, the Eagles received the David Andrews Award of Excellence as the AHL’s 2025–26 Team of the Year, recognizing their performance on the ice and leadership in ticket sales, corporate partnerships, fan experience and community relations.

The team’s connection with its fans is equally enduring. As of July 1, 2026, the Eagles had recorded 699 all-time home sellouts and a 169-game consecutive sellout streak.

“This isn’t simply about putting two local names together,” Kaczeus said. “The Eagles have spent more than two decades building a championship organization and an incredibly powerful connection with their fans. That’s the kind of organization we want Sweet Heart associated with. We see tremendous opportunity to build something together that becomes bigger than either brand could create independently.”

THE SWEET HEART LOUNGE & PATRIOT BAR: A PLACE TO CONNECT

At the center of the partnership will be the Sweet Heart Lounge, located adjacent to the Patriot Bar at Blue Arena, creating a destination where fans can gather over Sweet Heart wines and locally produced ciders while enjoying the Eagles experience. “We didn’t want this to be a partnership where people simply see a logo,” Larson said. “Our mission is to create experiences for people to connect. The Sweet Heart Lounge brings that mission directly into Blue Arena. It’s a comfortable place to meet friends, grab a glass of wine or cider, watch the game and spend time together. That feels very authentically Sweet Heart.”

Adjacent to the lounge, the Patriot Bar will showcase Patriot Press American Hard Cider, Sweetheart Cider and Climb Hard Cider, introducing fans to locally produced brands that support meaningful causes. “The Patriot Bar gives us a tremendous platform to introduce people to the cider brands we’re building right here at home,” Kaczeus said. “Fans will be able to grab a Patriot Press, Sweetheart or Climb Hard right on the concourse. These are great products, but they’re also brands with purpose. Each one lets us support causes that matter, from veterans to women, children and families.”

BRINGING THE PARTNERSHIP TO LIFE

Beyond the lounge and bar, interactive activations throughout Blue Arena will bring Sweet Heart into the Eagles’ game-night experience. “Fans will see the partnership come to life throughout Blue Arena, including some fun surprises around the penalty box,” Larson said. “We want people to interact with this partnership, not just see it. The Eagles have created an incredible game-night environment, and we want Sweet Heart to add to that experience.” In addition to Sweet Heart Wine and Cider being available in the Patriot Bar and Sweet Heart Lounge, select products will also be available in the OCR Champions Club and on the suite menu for patrons to enjoy.

FROM BLUE ARENA TO WINDSOR: THE OFFICIAL CIDER TAPROOM OF THE COLORADO EAGLES

The partnership will extend beyond Blue Arena when Sweet Heart Wine & Cider at RainDance opens in Windsor, currently targeted for November. The new location will feature the Official Cider Taproom of the Colorado Eagles, creating a year-round destination for Eagles fans just miles from Blue Arena.

The RainDance location will combine a beautiful winery atmosphere consistent with Sweet Heart’s flagship winery in Loveland with a dedicated showcase for Sweet Heart’s growing portfolio of locally produced ciders.

“We’re creating another Sweet Heart gathering place right in the heart of Eagles country,” Larson said. “The Official Cider Taproom gives us an opportunity to take this partnership beyond game night — from watch parties and community events to celebrations and experiences that bring Eagles fans together year-round.”

“This partnership is bigger than a single night at Blue Arena,” Kaczeus said. “Someone might discover one of our ciders at an Eagles game, find it later at a neighborhood restaurant or retailer, and then come experience Sweet Heart in Loveland, Fort Collins or Windsor. That keeps the impact and the connection right here in Northern Colorado.”

Together, the organizations see the partnership as an opportunity to build on their growth while strengthening the local connections at the heart of both brands.

“There’s tremendous momentum behind both organizations,” Larson said. “The Eagles have built a championship-caliber organization and one of the most passionate fan communities in hockey. Sweet Heart is growing quickly across the region. Bringing those two stories together is incredibly exciting — and we’re just getting started.”

The partnership begins with the 2026–27 Colorado Eagles season, with Sweet Heart wines and ciders available at Blue Arena and additional fan experiences and community activations rolling out throughout the season.

ABOUT SWEET HEART WINE & CIDER

Sweet Heart Wine & Cider is a Northern Colorado wine, cider, hospitality and events company headquartered in Loveland, Colorado. Guided by its mission to “Create experiences for people to connect,” Sweet Heart operates its flagship winery and event destination in Loveland and is expanding its hospitality presence across the region, including Sweet Heart Wine & Cider at RainDance in Windsor. Its portfolio includes Sweet Heart wines and locally produced hard-cider brands Patriot Press American Hard Cider, Sweetheart Cider, Climb Hard Cider and another new exciting brand that will launch at the end of this year.

ABOUT THE COLORADO EAGLES

Founded in 2003, the Colorado Eagles are a Northern Colorado professional hockey organization competing in the American Hockey League as the primary affiliate of the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche. The Eagles play their home games at Blue Arena in Loveland. Through the 2025–26 season, the organization has won four league championships, seven conference championships and nine regular-season division championships, with 22 postseason appearances. In 2025–26, the Eagles reached their first AHL Western Conference Final and received the David Andrews Award of Excellence as the AHL’s Team of the Year.

Media Contact: Megan Nickelson megan@sweetheartwinery.com