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GREELEY, Colo.—U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. has withdrawn a sponsorship valued at about $200,000 from the Greeley Stampede rodeo after the city banned free tobacco samples.
The City Council approved the ban in December. City Manager Roy Otto announced Tuesday that the tobacco company had decided to withdraw from the rodeo.
U.S. Smokeless Tobacco had provided a scoreboard for the Greeley rodeo. Rodeo officials have said it would cost more than $200,000 to buy and operate a replacement.
Company officials have said they prefer to sponsor events that allow distribution of free samples.
U.S. Tobacco owns the Skoal and Copenhagen chewing tobacco brands.
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Information from: Greeley Daily Tribune,
