For the first time in 31 years, a familiar face will be missing from golf broadcasting’s aerial coverage: MetLife has decided to part ways with Snoopy, the popular Peanuts character featured on its sponsored blimps.
Starting in 2017, MetLife will also cease to contract blimps for aerial coverage of golf tournaments (it covered about 25 in all), football games and other events, though it may take awhile for Snoopy to completely disappear from marketing and sales material as MetLife phases the large quantities of material out.
The move follows MetLife’s decision earlier this year to sell off a bulk of its U.S. life-insurance business by 2017. Snoopy had been a prominent part of MetLife’s sponsorship and design since 1985.
According to The Wall Street Journal, people familiar with the deal say the most recent Peanuts contract was signed in 2014 and cost MetLife $10-$15 million a year.
So long, Snoopy.
