2024 NHL Scouting Report: Week 1 Sponcon

👋 Welcome back to Sponcon Sports, a weekly newsletter dedicated to sponsored content strategy in the sports industry!

One of my favorite new trends in sports content? Data visualization. I’ve spotted it in both the NFL and NHL.

AWS has been using it through NFL Next Gen Stats to highlight incredible moments—like this Josh Allen pass play. Meanwhile, NHL.com now offers goal simulations for every scoring play.

I’d love to see more of this across sports. It’s a smart way to grab attention, educate fans, and enhance the game-day experience by diving deeper into the action.

In Today’s Edition:

• NHL Sponcon Scouting Report 🔍️

• NFL’s Fast Twitch Creator Collab 🏃

• LA Clippers Catch ‘Em All ⚡️

🏊️ DEEP DIVE
The Best Sponsored Content From The NHL’s Opening Week

New season, new inspiration!

The NHL dropped the puck on the 2024-25 campaign this month, bringing a fresh wave of sponsored content ideas to explore.

I followed all 32 teams and the league this week, hunting for sponcon elements worth saving for your next pitch.

Here’s what stood out from the first week.

New and Notable

The Boston Bruins continue to impress with the design and scale of their motion graphics in sponsored content.

I’ll admit I’m cheating a bit since this was technically the sponsored content of the week back in April—but the new assets are just too good to ignore.

• Warrior Sports - Win GIF

• Bosch Power Tools - Power Play GIF: Version 1 | Version 2 | Version 3 | Version 4 | Version 5

• TD Bank - Goal GIFs and Gameday Graphics

• Ticketmaster - Overtime GIF: Smart to include a tune-in call to action in the animation.

The Bruins keep their branding fresh and engaging by mixing up assets and placing logos just right. It’s all about ensuring the branding stands out without feeling too much like an ad.

This sweepstakes framework from the Chicago Blackhawks is a win for brands with points-based loyalty programs or those that can offer gift cards. Fans guess how many miles the players would skate this season for a shot at a replica jersey and 25,000 MileagePlus Miles. I'd suggest adding an extra entry option by submitting an account number (with a signup link nearby to boost partners’ CRM).

I’m keeping my eyes on a new platform from the Washington Capitals—Venture Global LNG was named the presenting sponsor of Alex Ovechkin’s chase for the all-time NHL goal-scoring record.

Sticking with the Caps, I also like how they’ve integrated Blue Halo into Power Play GIFs and Power Play goal highlights.

The Vegas Golden Knights got creative by pairing their roster reveal video with the F1 theme song, in partnership with F1 Las Vegas.

When Jake Guentzel was traded from the Pittsburgh Penguins last March, it ended a beloved trigger promotion with MilkShake Factory—fans got half-off “Jake’s Shake” the day after Guentzel scored. Fans eagerly awaited news of a replacement, and both the Pens and MilkShake Factory built hype by teasing an announcement with fans’ social posts. They finally revealed Rusty’s Shake for the new season, generating 875K+ impressions across channels. The trigger was activated for the first time on Wednesday.

Back on the ice, Ford sponsored some touching behind-the-scenes content, capturing right-winger Rutger McGroarty finding out he made the Penguins roster and would make his NHL debut. The cameras also rolled when Rutger shared the news with his parents—a great moment.

In a cool collaboration, the NHL and Apple showcased how artists used iPad Pro and Apple Pencil Pro to design custom artwork, which was later hand-painted on goalie masks. Would love to see this rolled out as a series, focused on different goalies’ custom masks.

BODYARMOR, a league partner, dropped an incredible new commercial featuring New York Rangers defenseman and enforcer, Matt Rempe.

The Florida Panthers launched Cool Moments, a fitting series for partner and HVAC manufacturer, Cooper&Hunter.

Sports Betting Variety

The sports betting category stood out among the many ways rights holders are bringing partnerships to life.

Three Canadian teams tapped into what works uniquely within this sport. The term "line" has meaning in both hockey and sports betting, creating a natural connection.

Both the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames leveraged this with their "Lines of the Game" sponsored content, both presented by Play Alberta.

• The Oilers use it for lineup graphics posted right before puck drop, pairing them with money line and puck line odds.

• Meanwhile, the Flames post theirs earlier, focusing entirely on betting lines to engage fans pregame.

Similarly, the Winnipeg Jets partnered with PlayNow Manitoba across three pregame pieces:

• "Projected Lines" graphics

• A "Live Odds" graphic

• And the "Starting Lineup" graphic

The pregame window plays a key role in this category, encouraging bets before the action starts and keeping brands top of mind.

To that end, the Ottawa Senators and Blackhawks also leaned into the pregame moment.

• The Blackhawks partnered with FanDuel for their gameday graphics—the team’s first post of the day, aimed at energizing fans that morning. The graphics feature the over/under line, though I’d love to see it in bolder font for better readability.

• In Ottawa, Betway sponsors the Senators’ "Head-to-Head" graphics, giving fans insights to make more informed bets. That Betway concept also appears postgame under the name, “Final Stats”, a strong pairing to close the loop on the series each game day.

Speaking of after the game, the Toronto Maple Leafs nailed it with a personal favorite of mine: “Winning Numbers” presented by JackpotCity Canada. It’s a perfect fit for sportsbooks, casinos, lotteries, or data-driven brands, connecting seamlessly with post-win boxscore. The Oilers also run this concept in partnership with Century Casino but only focused on their team’s stats the day after win.

The Montreal Canadiens rebranded their Player of the Game graphic to align with their partner, Casino de Montréal, renaming it “Ace of the Game”. A clever twist that ties brand and content together perfectly.

And finally, at the league level, the NHL shares game day schedules in partnership with BetMGM, where moneyline odds are provided for teams in each matchup.

Perfect Match

Let’s round out this list with the top sponsored content featuring great brand-partner connections.

The Penguins call their roster updates Player on the Move, sponsored by Enterprise Rent-A-Car—perfectly tying in with the travel theme.

The Capitals and Panthers take a different angle, with Shift4 sponsoring their transaction updates—a smart fit for a payment processor.

In Florida, What’s Brewing is a clever name for the Panthers' game previews, sponsored by Castaway Coffee.

The Jets turn up the heat with ABC Fire and Safety Equipment LTD sponsoring their pregame warmup content.

Speaking of warmth, the Minnesota Wild’s Outdoor Practice is backed by ORORO Heated Apparel.

Two software companies jump into analytics posts: The San Jose Sharks have SAP sponsoring their Tale of the Tide matchup graphics, while the Carolina Hurricanes call their postgame analytics Final Insights, presented by SAS Software.

As an extension of a league-level partnership, the New York Rangers celebrate shutouts with Pepsi Zero Sugar Shutout graphics. They sweeten the deal with repost contests, giving fans the chance to win signed goalie merch.

💼 CASE STUDY
Sponsored Content of the Week

The NFL nailed it with this week’s sponsored content for Gatorade’s Fast Twitch Energy Drink.

The key? Show, don’t tell.

In the video, Mark Phillips, co-founder of RDCWorld, tries to survive an NFL workout with Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett.

The goal was to showcase how Fast Twitch powers both mind and body for peak performance—and Myles was the perfect fit. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year is a physical freak at one of the league’s most demanding positions, making even a behind-the-scenes workout worth watching.

That said, partnering with Mark Phillips was a brilliant move.

His 11.23M followers across YouTube, Instagram, and X (where the content was posted) brought instant visibility. It also let both Mark and Myles shine: Mark’s on-camera skills made him the ideal host, while Myles could focus on the workout and let his personality come through naturally. Plus, helps fans appreciate just how strong and athletic Myles is by having a non-NFL player take on his workout.

Notice there’s no direct product pitch via key messaging—because there didn’t need to be. The environment told the story, with the product, branded gear, and Fast Twitch-themed graphics integrated throughout the video.

While we don’t have access to the average watch time of this sponcon, the public numbers back up its success:

• YouTube: 172K views, 6.7K engagements

• X (via Mark’s post): 514.5K views, 11.6K engagements

• Instagram Collab Trailer: 1.4M views, 70.8K engagements

• Instagram Post-Promotion: 1.0M views, 51.6K engagements

Many might’ve gone the predictable route—having Myles explain his workout with key messaging sprinkled in. But this approach? Way more engaging for fans.

It’s very similar to the route the Philadelphia Eagles took with Sleep Number last season in their “Week in the Life of an NFL Player” video (see sponsored content of the week).

In both instances, the teams let the product shine without forced messaging and focused on authentic storytelling that keeps fans engaged.

🔍 SPONCONSPIRATION
Steal These Ideas

This was a clever twist on Guess The Player! Seattle Seahawks legend Richard Sherman was challenged to identify a player using their receiver route chart, courtesy of AWS’ Next Gen Stats.

Sticking with that vibe, the New York Giants played Name That Teammate, revealing clues like college, past accomplishments, and when players joined the team—on a Microsoft Surface, of course.

For the third straight preseason, the LA Clippers brought the Rain City Showcase to Seattle. The team had fun with event content featuring the presenting sponsor, The Pokémon Company. The Pikachu hat giveaway was a hit with star guard James Harden, and the team engaged players with a Pokéball basketball.

Oregon Athletics nailed a concept that’s perfect for a glasses brand—or even the Seahawks’ win glasses.

The Detroit Lions rolled out a Bundesliga logo quiz. Amon-Ra St. Brown hosting was a smart move to connect the two rights holders, given his German roots.

🚨 ICYMI
What To Watch For

AI-Driven Fan Engagement: Shripal Shah lays out how to spend less time gathering data and more time analyzing it with AI-powered tools that can provide actionable strategies that scale RFM (Recency, Frequency, Monetary) marketing efforts.

Non-Sponcon Creator Collabs: Sponsored content is still the number one way brands partner with influencers. Lia Haberman shares seven other ways you could be working with influencers and creators.

Partnership Ads Upgrades: Speaking of alternative uses of creator marketing, Lindsey Gamble explains how the latest updates to Meta’s Partnership Ads are even more impactful, especially for performance marketing.

Stat Of The Week: The Interbrand Best Global Brands of 2024 report is out. 92 of the Top 100 brands leverage sponsorships to fuel their growth and enhance their brands [h/t Ricardo Fort].

Adapt Or Die: House 337’s Frank Lawley explains why partnerships should be built to align with both the brand and its audience so businesses can embed themselves in the fabric of sport – and create real value for money [via SportsPro].

The Rise Of Athlete Marketing: Brands are betting big on athletes—especially in women’s and college sports—to connect with loyal fanbases, creating powerful new marketing opportunities that blend sports and influencer culture [via Sam Bradley at Digiday].