As the NHL wraps its first season back on Disney, Disney Advertising has nearly sold out for the 2022 Stanley Cup Final. The highly anticipated competition has attracted 10 sponsors and 59 advertisers across 35 categories who will appear throughout the telecasts.
“We are incredibly proud of the sponsorship success we’ve seen in the NHL’s first season back home on Disney,” said Jim Minnich, Senior Vice President, Disney Advertising Revenue Yield Management. “Brands flocked to our unique offerings resulting in strong NHL demand throughout the entire season.”
NHL demand has exceeded initial expectations driven by Disney’s unique opportunity across linear and ESPN+. Throughout the season, the company sold sponsorships across every entry point including broadcast, cable, addressable and DTC. Sponsors for the Stanley Cup Final include Apple, Crypto.com, Discover, GEICO, Goodyear, Honda, Lexus, SAP, Subway and Verizon.
Each brand has worked with Disney to bring fans an exceptional cross-platform viewing experience as the top two teams in the league battle it out for the coveted Stanley Cup. Every game will be presented by GEICO while Verizon will bring both pre- and post-game content to fans’ screens. During each exciting matchup, Lexus and Discover will sponsor the first and second intermission reports, respectively. Should the competition go past the final buzzer, Subway will keep fans informed with an overtime intermission report.
Ahead of every contest, Crypto.com will brief viewers on the starting lineups while Honda will highlight the starting goalies. During each icy dual, SAP will sponsor statistical insights courtesy of their “Coaching Insights App”, and Goodyear’s aerial coverage will provide a unique look from the sky above both game sites.
Additionally, Apple will highlight their advanced technology with Siri driver integrations.
The NHL has performed incredibly well this season. Fans have had the opportunity to watch games and cheer on their favorite teams whenever and wherever they are – an experience that only Disney can provide. The Eastern Conference Final on ESPN averaged 2.4 million viewers which is up 82% versus 2021’s Conference Final average across cable and broadcast. The 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs to date across ESPN/ESPN2 are averaging 1.2 million viewers, up 30% from last year to date across broadcast and cable.
Media Contact:
Kristen Smith | Kristen.T.Smith@Disney.com