Dec. 22 (Bloomberg) -- Anheuser-Busch InBev NV and MasterCard Inc. won’t return as sponsors of the World Baseball Classic next year.

MasterCard was one of two global partners for the inaugural country-against-country event in 2006, while Anheuser-Busch was a partner in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. PepsiCo Inc. may also skip the second edition of the tournament. All three companies are official sponsors of Major League Baseball, which created the event with its players union.

“Like anything else we are taking a look at all our sponsorships,” MasterCard spokesman Jon Schwartz said in an interview. “It was one of those that didn’t make the cut.”

Baseball and its players union is staging the second World Baseball Classic in March with the global economy deteriorating. The U.S., defending-champion Japan, the Dominican Republic and the Netherlands are among the 16 countries participating in the event, which begins March 5 in Tokyo. Mexico City, Toronto, San Juan, San Diego, Miami and Los Angeles will also host games featuring the best MLB players including Derek Jeter.

Anheuser-Busch didn’t return to the tournament, choosing instead to focus on its existing deals including ones with MLB and 26 individual clubs, Dan McHugh, vice president for media, sponsorship & activation, said in an e-mail. Anheuser-Busch was bought by Leuven, Belgium-based InBev NV in a $52 billion takeover in November to form the world’s largest brewer.

“We’ve taken a hard look at every sponsorship in our portfolio as part of a larger plan for long-term, strategic growth,” McHugh said.

The companies didn’t disclose the value of the sponsorships.

Sponsorship Cutback

Companies have been cutting back on sports sponsorships as what could be the worst U.S. recession since the Great Depression crimps consumer and corporate spending. General Motors Corp., the automaker receiving a $9.4 billion bailout by the U.S. government, has cut ties with Tiger Woods and opted not to run an advertisement during football’s Super Bowl.

General Motors, locked into a Major League Baseball sponsorship through 2010, hasn’t renewed deals with the New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates. The company probably won’t take up a new partnership with the World Baseball Classic, either.

“It’s difficult for us to take on new commitments in this business environment,” said spokesman Terry Rhadigan. “We are really proud of our sponsorship of Major League Baseball, but with the business conditions being how they are, I would say it would be unlikely.”

MLB spokesman Matt Bourne didn’t immediately comment.

First Event

The inaugural event had at least 26 sponsors, with Konami Corp. the other global partner along with MasterCard. Konami, a Japanese video-game maker, will return next year as a sponsor in Asia. Burger King Holdings Inc., which is not an official MLB sponsor, is not coming back, spokeswoman Lauren Kuzniar said.

PepsiCo targeted Venezuela in the first tournament and may not return. “I don’t believe it’s in our plans,” said Catherine Marquette, who handles Pepsi’s baseball partnership. “It’s not been one of the priority points.”

The World Baseball Classic already has signed up advertisers, said Paul Archey, MLB’s vice president for international business.

“We have a number of sponsors,” Archey said after a press conference for the event at Major League Baseball’s Winter Meetings in Las Vegas this month. “We are going to announce them soon.”

Tickets went on sale Nov. 17, with prices ranging from around $5.50 for general admission in Mexico City to $500 for the most expensive seat at the finals at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Prices are “probably a little higher” than in 2006 with sales being “encouraging,” Archey said.

“With this economy, it’s obviously something we are focused on and concerned about, but I am optimistic at this point,” he said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Danielle Sessa in New York at dsessa@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: December 22, 2008 11:47 EST