The professional ice hockey league, National Hockey League (NHL) has announced a new partnership with an American entertainment company, PENN Entertainment.
In this deal, PENN’s online sports betting brands, theScore Bet in Ontario and ESPN BET in the United States have been named the official sports betting partners of the NHL.
As per the deal, ESPN BET and theScore Bet will be granted access to a variety of privileges as official league partners, such as intellectual property rights and the ability to integrate their media and marketing throughout League programming and high-end NHL experiences.
ESPN BET is a freshly rebranded online sportsbook run by PENN Entertainment. It debuted on November 14 in 17 states and blends PENN Entertainment’s extensive operational knowledge and unique in-house technology with ESPN’s industry-leading brand and multiplatform reach.
The rights granted to PENN will start right away and include the 2024 NHL Winter Classic, 2024 NHL Stadium Series, 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend, and Stanley Cup Playoffs. Collaboration on best-in-class game integrity protocols will additionally be a part of PENN and the NHL’s alliance.
Jason Jazayeri, NHL Vice President, Business Development, said, “There’s definite excitement in being one of the first leagues to partner with ESPN BET and PENN Entertainment. From day one we’ve said our media rights deal with ESPN and The Walt Disney Company has been a big win for our fans and our League, and this new collaboration is further testament to the value of our partnership.
“The NHL is younger, faster and more exciting than ever, and delivers tremendous opportunity for fan engagement and responsible gaming experiences. We’re looking forward to working with ESPN BET in the U.S. and theScore Bet in Ontario to engage our passionate fan base.”
Aubrey Levy, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Content, Penn Interactive, commented, “The recent launch of ESPN BET in the U.S. is extremely exciting and we’re thrilled to collaborate with the NHL to help market our new sports betting experience. Becoming an official partner allows us to more broadly engage hockey fans, develop compelling integrations and uniquely leverage NHL programming. This is also a key partnership for theScore Bet in Ontario, where the popularity of hockey is unmatched.”