NEWSLETTER
Yesterday, the NHL had approved teams to allow ads and sponsorships on their sweaters starting in the 2022-23 season. The outrage felt online from the announcement was everywhere. “Is nothing sacred anymore?!” “They are going to ruin the game!” “Don’t touch those jerseys!” All over my mentions.
Here’s the deal, by November of 2022, we’ll already be used to it, and I’m willing to bet more people will forget they ever cared.
• Just like with the helmet ads this past season, nothing changed fans viewing experience of the game and the ads no longer were a talking point. All the while, they helped generate over $100M in revenue for the teams in a year where the financial losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic were significant.
Report: NHL Approves Ad Space On Sweaters, Starting In 2022-23 Seasonhttps://t.co/h7zlKZzNv8
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) August 17, 2021
• The league is trying to recoup more of that money lost because of the pandemic and also trying to capitalize on the ability to generate as much revenue as possible. The NHL is one of the least-lucrative of the major men’s professional leagues in North America. Facing a flat-cap future, the league is moving towards small, likely barely noticeable ad patches to help create another cash flow to teams. In the end, sports are a business and your feelings don’t matter to the olds in charge as long as they can get you to spend your money on their product.
• So what kinds of ads and sponsorships could we see? Wouldn’t hate this in Chicago…
Very excited for the future of the NHL. pic.twitter.com/LcQ2hD0bWc
— Stache (@StacheEsq) August 18, 2021
• Every podcast seems to be sponsored by these guys, so why not…
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) August 17, 2021
• This is as perfect a match as you’ll find…
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) August 17, 2021
• LOL…
With reports of the NHL bringing ad patches to their uniforms, some early fits have already been found across the league. For example, the Washington Capitals have found a way to activate one of their longest-standing partnerships pic.twitter.com/8LXORWYyv2
— Jeff Veillette (@JeffVeillette) August 17, 2021
• Honestly, that would be perfect.
• Speaking of perfect…
Actually, I think this is a better option… pic.twitter.com/dKXE3rpfVd
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) August 17, 2021
• Let’s make it happen, Brett!
• With the addition of ads being allowed starting in 2022-23, the league is also allowing teams to use betting companies as partners for helmet and sweater ads.
NHL is lifting a ban on sports wagering ads for helmets, jerseys — with some restrictions. https://t.co/xCWbIxV8p4
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) August 18, 2021
• According to ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski, the betting company ads can only be used on home uniforms, and only if single-game sports betting is legal in that team’s state/province.
• This is an incredibly interesting development when framed in the light of the issues and betting allegations against Evander Kane. It seems pretty clear he has a gambling addiction problem, and betting on his own team to lose is absolutely means for discipline, but how harsh can the league be against Kane if they are getting in bed with the betting companies themselves? We’ll have to see how that all plays out.
• The Blackhawks are locking-up their young depth players for the next few seasons with another extension today, signing MacKenzie Entwistle to a two-year extension…
https://twitter.com/NHLBlackhawks/status/1427994143956078593?s=20
• Entwistle is a hard-working, two-way forward who I could see becoming a decent complimentary player in the NHL with the Blackhawks in the near future. Good move for Chicago to get him extended through the 2023-24 season for cheap.
• In case you missed it earlier this month, after the passing of Tony Esposito, The Athletic was looking for fans to share their stories of “Tony O” as a Blackhawks player and ambassador. Today, that finished product is out…
Remembering Blackhawks legend Tony Esposito: ‘Tony was a great goalie and a great human’ https://t.co/zHzCmk3kmr
— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) August 18, 2021
• Combing through these stories, you truly get the image of Esposito in the Blackhawks community and what he meant to fans and the organization both on and off the ice. Highly recommend reading through the piece to live through these people’s memories of the Blackhawks legend.
• We are seeing more and more teams coming out with COVID-19 vaccination requirements ahead of the upcoming season. In Toronto, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which oversees the Maple Leafs and Raptors, joins the growing list…
— MLSE PR (@MLSEPR) August 17, 2021
• The more we see this, the better. It feels like the Blackhawks will join the list soon, especially with the city of Chicago reinstating mask policies for everyone, regardless of vaccination status.
• A few days ago we saw Mathieu Joseph eating some poutine out of the Stanley Cup. Yesterday, it was Yanni Gourde enjoying some maple taffy out of the Cup…
We’ve got maple taffy in the Stanley Cup, folks ‼️@YanniGourde pic.twitter.com/mZKeMzUucE
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) August 18, 2021
• That’s a lot of calories in the Cup in the last few days.
• Closing out today with the upcoming reveal of EA Sports’ NHL 22 title. Tomorrow we will get the first-look at the new NHL game, with the cover athlete being revealed as well.
https://twitter.com/EASPORTSNHL/status/1428024115517169669?s=20
• From the first teaser videos, some are guessing that New York Rangers forwards, and former Blackhawk, Artemi Panarin will be on the cover of EA’s NHL 22. Maybe it might be a current Blackhawks player though, if Calvin de Haan has anything to say about it…
https://twitter.com/cal_dehaan/status/1428024790309351424?s=20
• As an avid player and lover of the game, the new motion mechanics of the “Frostbite Engine” used in other EA titles like Madden and FIFA, give me some optimism that the game will feel more fluid and more life-like to how real NHL hockey flows. Also, please update Franchise Mode. Please.
• That will do it for today. Enjoy your Wednesday!
