This fall, thousands of tailgaters will flock to Athens to cheer on the Bulldogs. But thirsty fans will have to go without special red and black cans of Bud Light designed by Anheuser-Busch.

The company launched the “Fan Cans” early last month as part of a larger nationwide marketing plan geared around fall sports, but University officials saw a clear association with the University.

“Even though they had not sought marketing permission . very clearly they were trying to attach to the institution,” said Tom Jackson, vice president for public affairs.

The cans are offered in 27 color combinations that correspond with many sports teams, but do not have logos of those specific teams. Still, the University asked Anheuser-Busch to withdraw the cans from Athens.

“It is clear that [Anheuser-Busch] is targeting and attempting to wrongfully associate its products with UGA (and many other colleges) given the combination of the name of the program (“Team Pride”), the target start date in August at the beginning of the football season, and a marketing plan that includes the cans in the team colors of a number of universities with major football programs,” said Stephen Shewmaker, executive director for legal affairs at the University, in a letter to Anheuser-Busch obtained by The Red & Black.

The letter also noted the cans featured the team colors of the University and the company intended to market them “in the geographic area where UGA is located or may have a strong fan presence.”

Jackson said the University opposed the cans for two reasons: for infringement on the University’s branding, and for promoting alcohol in a college market where many students are under age 21.

“These cans carry no third-party logos, names or other proprietary identifiers,” said Carol Clark, vice president for social responsibility, in a statement for Anheuser-Busch obtained by The Red & Black. “Like all of our beers, these cans are sold through licensed retailers where consumers must be 21 or older to purchase the product.”

At least 24 other universities have asked Anheuser-Busch to drop the campaign near their campuses, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal last week.

But this isn’t the first time the University has been put in a situation where alcoholic beverage packaging bears a resemblance to its trademarks. In January 2005, the Board of Regents ordered Georgia Crown Company, owned by Regent Donald Leebern, to stop production of wine displaying the official University Arch logo.

The wine was sold for six months before the board halted sales, stating the use of the logo violated a Regents policy prohibiting university trademarks from being displayed on alcoholic beverages.

Georgia Crown Company is a full-service beverage distributor selling imported and domestic spirits, wines, beers and specialty products, according to its Web site. During the time when the logo issue was being contested, Leebern’s tenure as a member of the Board of Regents was almost up. He was reappointed to serve another term the same month.

Today, students around campus have mixed reactions to the newest product bearing resemblance to the University’s recognizable red and black colors.

Michelle Ghanavi, a senior marketing major from Atlanta, said it was a good idea for the University to dispute the cans.

“It would just give UGA more of a drinking college image,” she said. “I think it would be kind of cool, but I can see why they’re trying to stay away from that.”

Others are less concerned though.

“I don’t see why it would be a big deal. They’re just colors,” said Emery Guay, a senior from Augusta. “I don’t drink beer, but I would have bought them if I did. I think it would be popular for tailgating.”