In an anticipated move, the National Hockey League recently gave teams the green light to place sponsored logos on helmets for the 2020-2021 season.
Of the 16 helmet sponsors announced so far, 11 of the sponsors are stadium naming rights partners for the team's home arena. While it may be seen as a make-good asset, it also provides a strategic ability to further highlight and intertwine multiple branded assets across broadcasts, replays, social media and any in-stadium activations.
It will be an interesting season and future moving forward for the NHL.
The banking company also holds naming rights to Scotiabank Saddledome where the Flames play their home games.
Like their Canadian counterpart [Calgary Flames] on the other side of the country, the Maple Leafs' home ice, Scotiabank Arena, is also sponsored by the banking giant.
Edmonton Oilers x Rogers
The Canadian media communications company also holds the naming rights to Rogers Arena where the Edmonton Oilers play their home matches.
Nashville-based tire and mobility solutions company Bridgestone already holds the naming rights to Bridgestone Arena, the home of Predators. The deal will place the brand's iconic "B Mark" logo on the team's home and away helmets for the entire 2020-21 season.
The Penguins will take the ice this season with stadium naming rights partner PPG on the sides of their helmets. The logo will be featured on both sides of the helmets for all regular season games, as well the playoffs.
Before the New Year, the duo hosted the team's first ever Virtual Paint Night.
Getting a bit ahead of the curve, the New Jersey Devils officially ushered in the first-ever brand helmet placement in the NHL signified by their extended partnership with Prudential Financial.
The partnership will further be activated through on-site activations within the Prudential Center as well as a new hockey donation program "providing new Devils and Prudential co-branded helmets to diverse youth hockey players in New Jersey."
The telecommunications company last month became the first Canadian team to announce an official helmet sponsorship when they announced the deal with the Canadiens.
The season-long sponsorship will see the team feature a Bell logo on both sides of their helmets for home and away games and practices. Bell is a longstanding partner of the Canadiens and has the naming rights for the team's home arena, the Bell Centre.
In addition to holding the naming rights to Capital One Arena, the bank holding company will also serve as the first presenting partner of the team's adidas Reverse Retro jersey.
Winnipeg Jets x Bell
The telecommunications company will also sponsor the helmets for the aforementioned Montreal Canadiens.
Florida Panthers x Ford & Baptist Health
In an interesting tweak to the new league initiative, the Panthers will rep the automotive giant's logo during home and away games while sporting local hospital Baptist Health during team practices.
Further diversifying the new sponsorship asset, the Blue Jackets took a different approach in order to involve two of their more prominent corporate partners.
Columbus-based Nationwide Insurance, which holds the naming rights for Nationwide Arena, will be on the team's side (and helmets) for all road games. OhioHealth, who is also the presenting partner of the team training camp and media backdrop, will present the helmets during home matchups.
The helmet sponsorship is one part of the brand new partnership forged between the two sides earlier this week. The larger partnership will also include additional assets such as on-ice logos, in-arena signage, and digital branding.
Mountain America Credit Union will see its logo adorned on the team's helmet during home games. The helmet sponsorship is the latest activation within the multi-year partnership between the two brands. Last year, the partnership launched the exclusive rights for the Mountain America and Arizona Coyotes co-branded debit card.
As for when the team takes on the road, Dignity Health will be affixed on away uniforms throughout the 2020-2021 regular season and playoffs. This activation is the latest addition to an already established multi-year partnership between the two that sees Dignity Health serve as the presenting partner of the team's annual Hockey Fights Cancer Night.
KeyBank, which serves as the naming rights partner for the Sabres' KeyBank Center home, will appropriately be transfixed on home uniforms while Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center will travel on team uniforms during away games.
AT&T will have logo inclusion on all team uniforms throughout the 2020-2021 season.
DEX Imaging will adorn the home uniforms while Tampa General Hospital's logo will see inclusion on all away and practice uniforms throughout the season.
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