NEW YORK (AP) — Arenas are full, the NHL is a fixture on TV screens across North America, highlight-reel goals are talking points on a near-daily basis and “The Pat McAfee Show” even has a segment called “Hockey is Awesome.”
Piece it all together, and more eyes are on the puck than ever before with the playoffs beginning this weekend.
Business is booming for the NHL, which has bounced back in a major way from the pandemic. Backstopped by new media rights deals, digital dasher boards and helmet and jersey ads, and buoyed by an overlap of generational stars, ratings are up, attendance set a record and revenue is at an all-time high — an estimated $6.2 billion annually.
“The league is going through a bit of a renaissance,” said Tom Gargiulo, chief marketing officer at Bodyarmor, whose deal to be the league’s sports drink is the latest sponsorship agreement inked in recent years. “This sport is moving into the next phase of its evolution and is on a tremendous trajectory.”
Popular Chinese crosstalk comedians bring laughter, cultural charisma to London
Algeria hosts 23rd 'Chinese Bridge' language competition for university students
FAU's Vladislav Goldin to join Dusty May at Michigan, pulls name out of NBA draft
US opens investigation into Ford crashes involving Blue Cruise partially automated driving system
Immersive Studio Ghibli exhibition opens in Shanghai
Chinese FM holds talks with Bolivian counterpart
A third of foreign students seeking to stay in the UK are at just SIX institutions, figures show
Foreign diplomats impressed by traditional culture, high
Goodbye to Scotland's answer to Liz Truss: How Sturgeon's short
UN human rights chief condemns killings of women and children in Rafah
Oracle bone script art exhibition unveiled in South Africa
Explosion kills 3 including 2 children in Myanmar's Yangon