With a deal in place between NHL players and owners to start the 2020-21 season on January 13th comes word that teams will be able to sell ad spaces on helmets like many European leagues already do. That said, it won't be a big revenue generator for most.
"The NHL hopes to raise $15M selling ads on helmets this season," said TSN's Rick Westhead. "Rich clubs like Toronto [and] Montreal targeting $1M deals; small-market teams far less."
"NHL exec told me teams don't consider this "new-found money» because helmet ads will be given to some sponsors as 'make goods' for empty buildings."
In the grand scheme of things, $15 million isn't a lot of money for a league like the NHL. It's certainly a welcome addition for those teams struggling without the usual gate revenue but it's far from enough to stop the bleeding completely.
The big question is whether this practice will continue in future seasons. For now, it's for 2020-21 only but that could change depending on how successful the ad campaign is and whether the NHL sees an avenue for making more money down the road.
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