Can you hear the slap shot now?
Verizon Wireless has signed a multi-year deal to sponsor the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players’ Association.
As the NHL and the association’s “official wireless service provider,” Verizon Wireless gets marketing and promotional rights and category-exclusive U.S. marketing rights for marquee NHL events, including the NHL All-Star Game, Stanley Cup Playoffs, NHL Awards Show and NHL Entry Draft.
The company said it will jumpstart its sponsorship on Jan. 21, as title sponsor of the NHL All-Star Concert to Benefit The Leary Firefighters, part of the 2007 NHL All-Star Celebration leading up to the Jan. 24 All-Star Game in Dallas.
The title sponsorship builds on the telecom’s associate sponsorship of the NHL All-Star Fan Balloting program that ran Nov. 15 through Jan. 2: Fans could cast their votes via Verizon Wireless phones.
As part of its league-wide sponsorship, Verizon Wireless said it gets “significant media presence” during NHL game broadcasts on NBC and VERSUS; the telecom also said it plans to run NHL-themed ads and promos online and in-store.
Subscribers will get NHL content, including photos, wallpaper and ringtones, via V Cast videocast phone service.
“The relationship with the NHL signifies yet another way Verizon Wireless offers its customers content they want on their mobile phones,” said John Harrobin, Verizon Wireless vice president of digital media and advertising, in a statement.
NHL also gets visibility among Verizon Wireless subscribers through prime placement on the telecom’s Mobile Web 2.0 main deck.
“This relationship will provide a unique opportunity for us to bring aspects of the game and the players to our tech-savvy fans and Verizon Wireless’ wide customer base,” said Ed Horne, President of NHL Enterprises, in a statement.
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