Bud Light will remain the official beer of Major League Lacrosse, after the MLL agreed a deal with Anheuser-Busch. The deal, which will run for two years, will see Bud Light keep the title sponsorship of the 'Player of the Game' award for the best player in every single MLL match, as well as significant branding around matches.

The sponsorship renewal comes after a number of difficult months for professional lacrosse. Despite a rapid expansion in recent years and its matches being televised on ESPN2, with reasonable viewing figures, five teams folded at the end of the 2008 season.

"Anheuser-Busch has been a part of Major League Lacrosse since our inaugural season in 2001," said MLL Commissioner David Gross. "Bud Light is one of the iconic brands in the industry, and the renewal of this partnership shows their commitment to supporting the MLL as we, and sport of lacrosse as a whole, continue to grow."

Anheuser-Busch vice president Dan McHugh said: "Major League Lacrosse is gaining fans across the country and is the type of lifestyle sport that makes perfect sense for Bud Light. These fans are social, active outdoor sports fans who enjoy beer. We look forward to continuing to help support and grow the league while reaching new adult beer drinkers."