Tavern League of Wisconsin

What Tavern League of Wisconsin does

The Tavern League of Wisconsin (TLW) is a non-profit trade association founded in 1935 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that exclusively represents licensed beverage retailers — bars, taverns, restaurants, and similar hospitality establishments — across the state. TLW is governed by approximately 5,000 member establishments organized through 70 local leagues covering every Wisconsin county, with member leadership drawn from operators themselves (President Keith Kern, owner of Jimmy's Saloon, was elected in 2021). The association's core offerings include the SafeRide program (a free rides-home service operating in 60+ Wisconsin counties that has provided over 1 million rides since 2005 and is credited with a 50% decline in alcohol-related fatalities), regulatory and government affairs advocacy (including successful influence over Wisconsin alcohol law, most recently the 2024 alcohol provisions bill), exclusive member benefits (telehealth via Allutional, insurance via Society Insurance, music licensing via ASCAP/BMI, responsible beverage service training via TIPS, text marketing via SenText), education and training courses (food safety, bartender certification), and an annual event calendar anchored by the Fall Convention & Tradeshow. The Wisconsin Tavern League Foundation, a 501c3 charitable arm established in 1995, distributed $19 million to over 16,000 Wisconsin charities in 2024 and supports the SafeRide program.

TLW operates a subscription-based membership revenue model with three tiers: Tavern Members pay $175/year plus $0-$50 in local league dues; Affiliate Members pay $500/year; and Corporate Members pay quarterly subscriptions ranging from $1,250 (Bronze) to $12,500 (Platinum). Supplementary revenue comes from events and sponsorships (Fall Convention, Foundation Golf Outing, Brewers Outing, Legislative Day, raffles, sports-themed sweepstakes), advertising (On Premise and Website media kits), and pass-through charitable activity managed by the Foundation. Distribution is community-led: recruitment and member services flow through the 70 local leagues, supplemented by a centralized Milwaukee headquarters, a member portal, and the TLW Member App. A 2024 Wisconsin law now requires municipalities to notify every new liquor license applicant about a free 6-month SafeRide trial, providing TLW with a structural member-acquisition channel at every license issuance across the state. The technology surface is limited to standard member-management and consumer-facing utility apps (SafeRide Mobile App, TLW Member App, online Member Hub), with no AI/ML capabilities, proprietary platform, or technology moat.

Name

Tavern League of Wisconsin

Legal name

Tavern League of Wisconsin

Website

https://tlw.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Tavern League of Wisconsin is a 1935-founded non-profit trade association representing approximately 5,000 licensed beverage retailers across Wisconsin through 70 local leagues, providing advocacy, the SafeRide drunk-driving prevention program, training, and member benefits, supported by a 501c3 charitable Foundation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association / Hospitality Industry Representation

NAICS

Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Neighborhood Bars & Taverns (CRANACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cocktail Bars & Lounges (CRANACAD), Bars & Pubs (Non-Music) (MPAGAIAC), Supper Clubs & Dinner-Theater Restaurants (THAFACAL)

Keywords

• Trade association
• Licensed beverage retailers
• Hospitality advocacy
• SafeRide program
• Tavern membership benefits

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from tavern, bar, and restaurant owners. Members pay $175 annually plus local league dues ranging from $0-$50. Corporate membership tiers range from $1,250 to $12,500 quarterly.
2. Events and Sponsorships: Revenue from events including the annual Fall Convention & Tradeshow, golf outings, and other fundraisers. The Foundation Golf Outing and Foundation Raffle generate charitable contributions and sponsorship revenue.
3. Exclusive Member Benefits Program: Partnership with Allutional for telehealth services provides member access to health benefits at negotiated rates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Tavern League of Wisconsin is a non-profit trade association representing approximately 5,000 licensed beverage retailers across Wisconsin through 70 local leagues. It delivers membership services including government affairs advocacy, regulatory compliance support, the SafeRide free ride-home program, exclusive member benefits (telehealth, insurance, payment processing, training), food safety and bartender education, and operates the Wisconsin Tavern League Foundation for charitable giving.

Product overview

The Tavern League of Wisconsin is a trade association representing licensed beverage retailers with approximately 5,000 members across 70 local leagues. The organization operates as a single unified membership offering supplemented by programs and services including the flagship SafeRide program (providing free rides home to prevent drunk driving), mobile applications for members and SafeRide access, education and training courses for food safety and bartending, the Tavern League Allutional Benefits Partnership offering telehealth and health discounts, and various fundraising events including raffles, golf outings, and sports-themed contests. The association also provides advocacy, government affairs support, and member resources through an online member portal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SafeRide: Free rides home program for patrons of TLW member establishments to reduce drunk driving
• SafeRide Program
• Wisconsin Tavern League Foundation

Products and services

• SafeRide Program A free rides home program providing safe transportation to patrons of TLW member establishments to reduce drunk driving, operating in over 60 Wisconsin counties with more than 1 million rides provided since 2005.
• TLW Member App Mobile application for TLW members to register and pay for events, access the events calendar, news and announcements, view the member directory, and manage their profile.
• SafeRide Mobile App Mobile application to help riders find SafeRide providers among TLW member establishments.
• Member Hub Portal Online member portal for accessing resources, managing profiles, viewing the member directory, and paying invoices.
• Food Safety Courses Training courses for food safety certification offered to TLW members and their staff.
• Bartender Courses Training programs for bartenders, including responsible beverage server courses through TIPS.
• Tavern League Allutional Benefits Partnership Partnership with Allutional providing TLW members and employees with affordable nationwide telehealth services, prescription drug discounts, dental and vision benefits, identity theft protection, and financial wellness resources.
• 2026 Spring Conference & Tradeshow Annual conference and tradeshow event for TLW members with exhibitor opportunities and industry programming.
• Calendar Raffle Raffle event to raise funds for the Wisconsin Tavern League Foundation.
• Foundation Raffle Semi-annual raffle event to raise funds for the Wisconsin Tavern League Foundation, with prizes up to $10,000.
• Basketball Crazr College men's basketball sweepstakes fundraiser where participants select 4 teams and win based on total points accumulated, supporting the Wisconsin Tavern League Foundation.
• Football Crazr Football-themed sweepstakes fundraiser for the Wisconsin Tavern League Foundation.
• 28th Annual Wisconsin Tavern League Foundation Golf Outing Annual golf outing fundraiser hosted by Adams County Tavern League at Lake Arrowhead Golf Club, Nekoosa, WI.
• TLW Brewers Outing Annual baseball outing event for TLW members at American Family Field in Milwaukee.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50% decline in alcohol-related fatalities since 2005 in Wisconsin
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hogs For HeroescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 August 2022The Tavern League of Wisconsin partners with Hogs For Heroes, a Wisconsin nonprofit that gifts Harley-Davidson motorcycles to injured veterans. TLW has sponsored bikes including the 9th veteran recipient (Jake Spangenberg) in August 2022. The partnership supports veteran rehabilitation through the therapeutic value of motorcycle riding.
• Hogs For HeroescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 May 2021First year TLW fully funded a bike for Marine Sergeant Rick Erickson (18th veteran recipient). Hogs For Heroes started in 2015 and has provided 31 bikes to injured Wisconsin veterans.
• AllutionalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership provides TLW members with access to affordable telehealth services, identity theft protection, health discounts (prescription, dental, vision), and financial wellness programs at negotiated rates.
• SenTextminorGTM or Marketing PartnerText marketing solution offered as exclusive member benefit for advertising/promotion purposes.
• Society InsuranceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInsurance provider offering coverage options as exclusive member benefit program.
• TIPS ProgramminorGTM or Marketing PartnerResponsible beverage server training program offered as exclusive member benefit for bartending training.
• ASCAP and BMIminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMusic licensing organizations offering discounted rates as exclusive member benefit for taverns using copyrighted music.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Beer Wholesalers Association: A national trade association representing beer wholesalers. While focused on the distribution tier rather than retail, it shares the alcohol industry trade association structure, government affairs expertise, and member benefit model that TLW operates.
• Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America: National trade association for wine and spirits distributors, operating in the broader alcohol industry trade association ecosystem. Shares advocacy, regulatory engagement, and member service delivery models with TLW.
• National Restaurant Association: The largest U.S. trade association for the restaurant industry, with a broader scope than TLW but overlapping membership. Provides advocacy, training (ServSafe), and member benefits to foodservice operators including those holding alcohol licenses.
• Brewers Association: National trade association representing small and independent U.S. brewers, with significant overlap in Wisconsin given the state's craft brewing presence. Operates government affairs, member benefits, and events programs analogous to TLW's model.
• Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS): National trade association representing producers and marketers of distilled spirits. Operates at a different tier of the alcohol supply chain than TLW, but shares the federal and state government affairs, regulatory advocacy, and public education mission structure.

Regional players

• Wisconsin Restaurant Association: State-level trade association representing Wisconsin restaurants, overlapping with TLW's hospitality membership base. Both serve Wisconsin foodservice and alcohol-serving establishments with advocacy, training, and member benefits, and they frequently collaborate on industry issues.
• Illinois Liquor Industry Council: A state-level advocacy organization for Illinois alcohol beverage retailers. Shares TLW's focus on legislative advocacy, regulatory compliance, and member services for taverns and bars in the adjacent Midwest market.

Direct peers

• Michigan Licensed Beverage Association: A state-level trade association for Michigan's licensed beverage retailers, structurally analogous to TLW. Both organizations represent taverns, bars, and restaurants selling alcohol at the state level, advocating for similar regulatory and policy interests.
• American Beverage Licensees (ABL): ABL is the national trade association representing U.S. beverage alcohol retailers, making it the most direct national-level peer to TLW. Both organizations advocate for licensed beverage retailers on regulatory, legislative, and business issues, with overlapping membership and policy priorities.
• Minnesota Licensed Beverage Association: A state-level trade association representing Minnesota's alcohol beverage retailers. Operates a similar member-driven model to TLW with advocacy, training, and member services for bars, taverns, and restaurants holding liquor licenses.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tavernleaguewi
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCfYiCKbijxeTr1jMzMmQvoA
• Facebookfacebook.com/tlwshawano
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tavern-league-of-wisconsin
• Instagraminstagram.com/tavernleagueofwisconsin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tavern League of Wisconsin