Coca-Cola ends 'American Idol' sponsorship after 13 years

Coca-Cola has ended its sponsorship of American Idol after 13 years.

There will no longer be any red cups on the judges table when the show returns in 2015.

Coke joins AT&T in abandoning the once dominant program. AT&T left the show in January this year. The only major sponsor left from the glory days of Idol is Ford Motor.

From Variety:

After more than a decade as one of the top sponsors of “Idol,” Coca-Cola is cutting ties to the program, the company said in a statement. Coca-Cola will instead work with Fox in other ways. “After 13 years, we feel it is the right time for the Coca-Cola brand to venture into new spaces and pursue other opportunities to connect with teens and leverage music as a passion point,” the Atlanta beverage company responded when asked why it was leaving the show.