Software giant Adobe has added to its stable of sports sponsorship tie-ups by striking a significant deal with North American ice hockey's NHL.
Through a tie-up unveiled today, Adobe becomes an official creative, marketing, and AI partner of the league. As such, the NHL will utilize a number of Adobe platforms – GenStudio, Experience Platfom, Journey Optimizer, and Express- to improve and personalize fan experiences across its range of digital sites and operations.
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The league and its 32 franchises will all now receive access to these tools.
The tie-up has been announced ahead of the 2026 regular season getting underway tomorrow (September 29).
The deal will revolve around the creation and distribution of fan-centric content, as well as the personalization of other fan communications – eg, in-app,
David Lehanski, executive vice president of innovation and growth strategy at the NHL, commented: "Adobe will help us unlock new ways to tell the stories of our players, clubs, and moments that define hockey, while giving fans more opportunities to be a part of it. This partnership reflects our commitment in continuing to evolve how fans connect with the game they love.”
Commercially, September has already seen the league unveil deals with both Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) and food delivery service DoorDash.
Michelob Ultra becomes an official beer partner of the NHL, while DoorDash has signed up as the league's on-demand delivery and pick-up.
In March, the long-running agreement between Adobe and Major League Baseball was renewed and expanded.
The company is also a sponsor of American football's NFL and English soccer's top-tier Premier League.
