Hockey's 'Great One' Becomes Commissioner of Upstart Bubble Boys League Gretzky/Bud Light Unveil Plans Supporting NHL Sponsorship During All-Star Weekend TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 5, 2000--Hockey's ``Great One'' and Anheuser-Busch, Inc. today unveiled Bud Light's 2000 ``Official Beer of the NHL'' in the United States sponsorship by announcing Wayne Gretzky will become acting commissioner of the Bubble Boys Hockey League (BBHL). As commissioner, Gretzky will appear in five Bud Light hockey-themed national television advertisements, and will chair the Bud Light Bubble Boys Hockey Tournament -- a 24-city consumer promotion held in the U.S. ``Bubble Boys'' are fictional three-inch characters based on the classic bubble-domed, barroom table hockey game. Throughout their 1999 season, Bubble Boys tried to join the NHL® but were repeatedly denied due to their three-inch stature. Frustrated by rejection, the Bubble Boys have created their own league to challenge the NHL®. ``When the Bubble Boys approached me to be commissioner, I thought it would be disloyal to the NHL®,'' said Gretzky. ``But they convinced me since I'm out of a job, the position of 'commissioner' would look good on my resume. Besides, Janet likes the idea of getting me out of the house.'' Serving as the ``official beer of the NHL'' in the U.S., Bud Light detailed plans for its high-energy hockey promotion to leverage its sponsorship and generate excitement with hockey fans and consumers alike. The Bubble Boys hockey promotion has grown from 17 to 24 markets since its debut in 1999. Beginning Monday, February 7, local bars in 24 U.S. markets will host Bud Light Bubble Boys hockey tournaments for eight weeks. Local finalists in each market will advance to the Stanley Cup® Finals to compete for the National Bubble Boys Championship trophy and an opportunity to play against Wayne Gretzky. All Bubble Boys commercials are set at a fictional press conference and feature Gretzky. The commercials are premiering during the NHL All-Star weekend, and will air throughout the NHL® season on national cable and local sports programming. The campaign was created by Fusion Idea Lab, Chicago, Ill. In addition to the Bubble Boys promotion, Bud Light supports its NHL® sponsorship by annually awarding the Bud Light NHL All-Star Most Valuable Player Award at the League's All-Star Game and the Bud Light Plus/Minus Award, which recognizes the player recording the top overall plus-minus rating during the regular season. The Budweiser Family of Beers - including Budweiser, Bud Light and Bud Ice - are brewed by Anheuser-Busch, Inc., the world's largest brewer with more than 46 percent share of the U.S. beer market.