PASO ROBLES, Calif. – July 12, 2021 – Intercept Wines is excited to announce a yearlong partnership with the Pro Football Hall of Fame as the proud wine partner for the 2021-2022 season. This comes during the same year in which 18-year NFL veteran and owner of Intercept Wines, Charles Woodson, is to be enshrined into the Hall of Fame.
“This is a very special year for me,” said Woodson. “I am honored to be the Hall of Fame’s wine partner, but it means a little more this year as I join this elite family upon my enshrinement in August. It is a remarkable opportunity for me to bring my two careers together in this way at such an important time in my life.”
Woodson launched Intercept in September 2019 and achieved full national distribution in September 2020 through his partnership with O’Neill Vintners & Distillers, making him the first Black NFL player and wine brand partner to gain direct-to-retail distribution nationally. Intercept Wines are made from premium California fruit grown in Paso Robles and Monterey County producing Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Blend, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. As Intercept brings Woodson’s passion for wine to every table in America, the brand focuses on the journey instead of the results, leadership instead of influence, and accessibility instead of exclusivity.
An exhilarating museum and attraction, the Hall of Fame pays tribute to the talents and triumphs of pro football’s greatest legends, and in turn, strives to serve as the best historical showplace and repository for the sport of professional football. Additionally, hundreds of thousands of fans from across the globe travel to Canton, Ohio, annually to experience “The Most Inspiring Place on Earth!” that chronicles America’s most popular sport.
“We are excited not only to see Charles enshrined this August as a member of an outstanding Class of 2021, but also to provide new opportunities for growing his Intercept wines brand,” said Pat Lindesmith, Chief Partnership Officer & Senior Vice President of Gold Jacket Relations at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “Part of the Mission at the Pro Football Hall of Fame focuses on supporting the businesses and new career efforts of our Hall of Famers after their playing days have ended.”
Intercept Wines will be present throughout the upcoming Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week Powered by Johnson Controls in Canton, Ohio, with activations during the Hall of Fame Game tailgate parties, VIP enshrinement and Centennial celebrations, as well as other Hall-sponsored events through 2022.
About Charles Woodson
Charles Woodson is an 18-year NFL veteran, former NFL Defensive MVP and Heisman Trophy winner. He is a Super Bowl champion and nine-time Pro Bowl defensive back. To date, he is the only primarily defensive player to win the Heisman, and, prior to 2021, he was the most recent player to win the Heisman who was not either a running back or quarterback. Woodson went on to accomplish a storied career professionally with one of the most decorated professional football resumes of all time, considered by many of his peers to be one of the greatest defensive players to have ever played. He was a first-ballot enshrinee to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August 2021.
About O’Neill Vintners & Distillers
O’Neill Vintners & Distillers was founded in 2004 by industry veteran and entrepreneur Jeff O’Neill. The vertically integrated winery is one of the fastest-growing wineries in California with a reputation for producing premium-quality wines from the North Coast, Central Coast, and Central Valley. The company’s national brands portfolio includes Line 39, Robert Hall, Harken, Day Owl Rosé, Game Box, Rabble and Charles Woodson’s Intercept. For more information, please visit www.ONeillWine.com.
About the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Located in Canton, Ohio, the birthplace of the National Football League, the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit institution with the Mission to Honor the Heroes of the Game, Preserve its History, Promote its Values, & Celebrate Excellence EVERYWHERE. The Pro Football Hall of Fame is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. AAM accreditation is national recognition for the museum’s commitment to excellence and the highest professional standards of museum operation and public service. For more information, visit www.profootballhof.com.
