Why NoFo Brew Co is a Sponsor for the Chattanooga Football Club
Table of Contents
- The Partnership (NoFo & CFC) Announcement and What It Means
- Bryan and Shannon’s Soccer Investment Through the Trivela Group
- Shared Community Values: The Third Place Philosophy
- Front-of-Shirt Sponsorship and Training Kit Integration
- NoFo Brew Co Distribution Expansion Into Tennessee
- Limited-Edition Collaboration Beers and Fan Engagement
- Strategic Alliance: Local Culture, Hospitality, and Economic Impact
- Conclusion
Last Updated: August 17, 2026
The Partnership (NoFo & CFC) Announcement and What It Means
In January 2026, NoFo Brew Co became the official craft beer partner of Chattanooga Football Club, marking a strategic alignment that connects two community-focused organizations. This partnership goes beyond typical sports sponsorship, it represents a deliberate choice by NoFo to invest in professional soccer while expanding its distribution footprint into Tennessee. NoFo serves as the front-of-shirt sponsor on CFC’s training kits and pre-match warmup tops for the 2026 season, a visible commitment that strengthens both organizations’ regional presence.
Joe Garcia, CEO at the time of announcement, stated that partnering with CFC is a “great way for us to introduce NoFo to fans and beer lovers in Tennessee” and to “grow our presence across the state in 2026.” Rachel Hanson, Chattanooga Football Club General Manager, expressed that the partnership brings “quality craft beers to [fans] on matchdays and throughout our region” and that CFC is “proud to partner alongside NoFo Brew Co as we continue to strengthen and invest in our community through soccer.” Both organizations see this as a mutual investment in community strength, not a transactional exchange.
The partnership includes two limited-edition collaboration beers: “Always a Blue IPA” and “423 Lager,” brewed exclusively for Chattanooga FC and its supporters. These beers will be available in cans and kegs at Finley Stadium starting in Spring 2026.
Bryan and Shannon’s Soccer Investment Through the Trivela Group
Understanding why NoFo sponsors Chattanooga FC requires understanding the co-founders behind the brewery. Bryan and Shannon Miles, along with Joe Garcia, founded NoFo Brew Co in 2018 with an opening in September 2019. Their investment in soccer extends well beyond a single brewery in Georgia.
Bryan and Shannon Miles are investors in European soccer teams through the Trivela Group, a strategic investment vehicle focused on professional soccer clubs across the globe. This reflects their passion for soccer culture, community engagement, and professional athletics. Bryan himself brings personal experience to this world, when he played college soccer on a scholarship as a goalkeeper, giving him both an athlete’s perspective and a fan’s appreciation and love for the game.
This background explains the natural progression to American soccer sponsorship for NoFo. Expanding into U.S. professional soccer is a logical extension of an existing strategic interest. Chattanooga Football Club offered the right combination of geography, growth trajectory, and community alignment.
Chattanooga is a natural extension for NoFo. Located roughly two hours south of North Georgia, it sits within the brand’s expanding distribution territory. The city has become a cultural hub in the Southeast, and CFC represents a growing professional sports presence in the region. For NoFo, the partnership accomplishes multiple objectives: it deepens the brand’s connection to soccer culture, expands distribution into a new market, and aligns with the co-founders’ existing investment thesis around professional soccer as a community-building platform.
Shared Community Values: The Third Place Philosophy
From the beginning, NoFo has been about creating a welcoming “third place” where people can gather, celebrate, share stories, and build meaningful connections within their community. This philosophy is embedded in how the brand operates across its three taprooms in Cumming, Gainesville, and Cleveland.
A “third place” is a sociological concept referring to spaces beyond home and work where community members gather. For NoFo, this means designing taprooms that feel like invitations rather than transactions. The Cumming location opened in September 2019, followed by Gainesville in August 2023 and Cleveland in June 2023. Each operates as a curated gathering space with food trucks daily at the Cumming and Cleveland locations, restaurant partner Vendetti’s (Italian) next door in Gainesville, and a paid membership program offering lounge access and early releases.
Chattanooga Football Club operates from a similar philosophy. CFC has positioned itself as a permanent fixture in Chattanooga’s identity, bringing people together around shared passion. When two organizations with aligned community values find each other, the partnership amplifies both.
The sponsorship activation reflects this alignment. Rather than simply placing a logo on a jersey, NoFo is creating exclusive collaboration beers that only exist within the CFC ecosystem. Fans at Finley Stadium experience NoFo’s product in a moment of celebration and community gathering. The beer becomes part of the matchday ritual, part of the shared experience that builds loyalty to both the team and the brand.
Front-of-Shirt Sponsorship and Training Kit Integration
The front-of-shirt sponsorship is the most visible element of the partnership. NoFo’s logo appears on CFC’s training kits and pre-match warmup tops for the 2026 season, positioning the brand directly on the team’s most frequently photographed apparel. Every time a CFC player or coach appears in training content, NoFo’s brand travels with them. Every social media post featuring the squad carries NoFo’s name.
For a regional craft brewery expanding into Tennessee, this placement carries significant value. Every time a fan wears CFC merchandise or follows the team online, they see NoFo’s branding. The training kit integration creates daily touchpoints that generic stadium signage cannot match.
The pre-match warmup apparel serves a similar function during matchdays. As players walk onto Finley Stadium in their warmup gear, thousands of fans in the stands and millions watching online see NoFo’s branding at a moment of peak attention and emotional investment.
This sponsorship also signals credibility to regional distributors and retailers. When a craft brewery appears on a professional team’s kit, it suggests scale, stability, and market presence. For NoFo’s distribution partners in Tennessee and across the Southeast, the CFC partnership communicates that this is a brand with staying power and professional ambition.
NoFo Brew Co Distribution Expansion Into Tennessee
NoFo’s overall strategy in 2026 includes expanding its distribution footprint throughout the Southeast, including Tennessee. The Chattanooga Football Club partnership is one visible element of a larger geographic expansion strategy.
Before the CFC partnership, NoFo’s distribution was concentrated in Georgia and Florida. Tennessee represented the next logical market, it’s adjacent to Georgia, shares similar consumer preferences for craft beverages, and offers significant growth potential.
The CFC partnership accelerates this expansion. Rather than entering the Tennessee market through traditional distributor relationships alone, NoFo arrives with a cultural anchor that creates immediate brand awareness and community legitimacy. Fans attending CFC matches become aware of NoFo. Local restaurants and retailers recognize NoFo as a brand worth stocking.
NoFo’s core beer lineup, Cowboy’s Payday (hazy IPA), Snow Ghost (high-gravity hazy IPA), Bluebird Day (Czech-style pilsner), and Collateral (Mexican-style lager), now has a pathway into the Tennessee market through CFC’s distribution network. The brewery also produces craft spirits including bourbon, agave spirit, vodka, gin, and specialty spirits in-house.
By 2026, NoFo had demonstrated operational stability across multiple locations and was ready for geographic expansion beyond its home state.
Limited-Edition Collaboration Beers and Fan Engagement
The “Always a Blue IPA” and “423 Lager” represent the most direct expression of the NoFo-CFC partnership. These are exclusive products brewed specifically for Chattanooga Football Club and its supporters, available only in cans and kegs at Finley Stadium starting in Spring 2026.
The naming carries meaning. “Always a Blue” references the team’s colors and commitment to the community. “423” is Chattanooga’s area code, a direct nod to local identity. These choices anchor the beers to place and community in a way that generic collaboration products cannot achieve.
Limited-edition collaboration beers create exclusivity, fans cannot buy “Always a Blue IPA” at a grocery store in Atlanta. They can only get it at CFC matches or through specific retail partnerships in the Chattanooga area. This exclusivity drives attendance and creates a collectible element that extends the brand experience beyond the match itself.
They also generate social proof and conversation. When fans share photos of the limited-edition cans on social media, they amplify both the CFC brand and NoFo’s presence. The beers become part of the matchday experience, part of what makes attending a CFC match distinctive.
For CFC, the collaboration beers enhance the matchday experience and create additional revenue streams. Fans now have a premium option that connects them to the team’s official sponsor.
Strategic Alliance: Local Culture, Hospitality, and Economic Impact
The NoFo-CFC partnership operates at the intersection of local culture, hospitality, and regional economic development. It’s a strategic alliance between two organizations committed to strengthening their shared region.
Professional soccer in the United States has historically struggled to build authentic roots in regional markets. CFC, by contrast, has positioned itself as a permanent fixture in Chattanooga’s cultural identity, investing in local partnerships and community initiatives.
NoFo’s sponsorship reinforces this positioning. By investing in CFC, NoFo signals that it’s committed to Chattanooga as a permanent presence, willing to invest in the community’s growth and cultural development. This type of commitment builds trust with local consumers and business partners in ways that traditional advertising cannot.
The economic impact extends beyond direct sales. When NoFo’s products are served at Finley Stadium, local hospitality workers gain employment. When restaurants and retailers stock NoFo’s beers, they create additional revenue streams. When fans purchase limited-edition collaboration products, money circulates through the local economy. The partnership becomes a multiplier effect that benefits the entire region.
The NoFo Brew Co sponsorship of Chattanooga Football Club represents a convergence of strategic business objectives and genuine community commitment. Bryan and Shannon’s existing investments in European soccer through the Trivela Group created natural interest in American professional soccer, while their college soccer background, particularly Bryan’s experience as a goalkeeper, connected them personally to the sport. Chattanooga’s location within NoFo’s expanding distribution territory, combined with the city’s growing cultural prominence, made CFC the ideal platform for Tennessee market entry. By investing in the club’s training kits and pre-match apparel while creating exclusive collaboration beers, NoFo has positioned itself not as a distant corporate sponsor but as a community partner committed to building the kind of welcoming spaces and meaningful connections that define the brand’s identity.
Bryan Miles, Co-Founder and Shannon Miles, CEO and Co-Founder
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did NoFo Brew Co choose to sponsor Chattanooga Football Club?
NoFo’s partnership with Chattanooga FC aligns with co-founders Bryan and Shannon’s investment in European soccer teams through the Trivela Group and their natural interest in American soccer. Bryan played college soccer on a scholarship as a goalkeeper, making soccer a core part of the company’s identity. The partnership also supports NoFo’s distribution expansion into Tennessee while strengthening community ties through professional sports.
What is the Trivela Group connection to NoFo’s soccer involvement?
NoFo Co-founders Bryan & Shannon Miles are separate investors in European soccer teams through the Trivela Group, giving them deep experience in sports partnerships and community engagement. This background shaped their vision for NoFo to engage with professional soccer in America, making the Chattanooga FC sponsorship a natural extension of their sports investment philosophy and commitment to building community through the beautiful game.
What exclusive beers did NoFo create for Chattanooga FC fans?
NoFo brewed two limited-edition collaboration beers exclusively for Chattanooga FC: “423 Lager” and “Always a Blue IPA.” These beers are available in cans and kegs at Finley Stadium (Chattanooga, TN) starting in Spring 2026, giving supporters a unique way to connect with both their club and the craft beer experience NoFo brings to matchday.
How does this partnership reflect NoFo’s community philosophy?
From the beginning, NoFo has been about creating a welcoming ‘third place’ where people can gather, celebrate, share stories, and build meaningful connections within their community. The Chattanooga FC partnership extends this philosophy beyond NoFo’s three Georgia taprooms into a regional sports and cultural hub, strengthening the brand’s presence while supporting local engagement and hospitality.
