NHL has 'come through an extraordinary challenging time,' Bettman says

The NHL Store in New York hosted the Brand Innovators Sports Marketing NHL Upfronts on Thursday with many of the NHL's business partners on hand for panel discussions about how the game has grown on and off the ice and how it will continue to do so.

The all-day event began with NHL Network and ESPN analyst Kevin Weekes and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman discussing the state of the game. More than two years after the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Commissioner Bettman said he is proud of how the NHL and its partners have handled it.
"We've come through an extraordinarily challenging time, and I don't just mean in sports," Commissioner Bettman said. "We've had to reevaluate a lot of the things we do, how we conduct relationships, how we conduct business, and for us, it's all been about getting through this difficult time as a business and as a sport to get to the other side. We felt not only did we owe it to people who earn a living from the game, but to all of our business partners."
Among the brands on hand were SAP, adidas, Verizon, Ticketmaster, FanDuel, Navy Federal Credit Union, Turner, ESPN, American Gaming Association, Enterprise, Great Clips, Jagermeister and The Boston Beer Company.
"From a corporate standpoint, the culture of our business relationships is -- and this may make us a little different -- it's not just about us," Commissioner Bettman said. "It's about how do we collaborate, how do we put our brand together with our business partners. … We want to make sure that we are making both of our brands stronger.
"We have two new incredible media partnerships in the United States (Walt Disney Co., Turner). The promotion, the coverage, the way the games are being presented is outstanding, and we couldn't be more pleased."

Among the topics discussed were the future of fan engagement (technology and sustainability), the future of Esports and betting, highlighting NHL athletes in marketing, the activation of an NHL jewel event, and panels on women as leaders in sports and Hockey is for Everyone.
Technology, and how the NHL and its partners adjust to the ever-changing landscape, was a major topic.
"How do we bring the NHL and the game into the future?" said Dan Fleetwood, vice president, global sponsorships for SAP. "Finding a partner like the NHL who is committed to that in every way is important for us. It really helps us bring to life data and real-time analytics and demonstrate the power of the platforms that SAP can provide."

With the Stanley Cup Playoffs beginning Monday, Commissioner Bettman said he was excited for the best tournament in professional sports to begin.
"The first round (of the playoffs), there's nothing like it in any tournament in any sport," he said. "We think it's special to be a part of this game. We think our players are the best both on and off the playing surface and we couldn't be more excited to be back and being as close to normal as you can get, and we are looking forward to a great, great playoffs."