On Ice: Bud Light sponsors new, digital hockey show
Bud Light, the country’s bestselling beer from St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch Cos., is a primary sponsor of the NHL Network Online, a new broadband media service from the National Hockey League.The network is available for free to fans at NHL.com, and is designed to build an “immersive, all-access experience” for fans, invites them to spend more time behind-the-scenes with their favorite players and teams. It is also meant to be an attractive forum for sponsors, including Dodge and Cisco.
Bud Light is presenting “The Hockey Show,” one of the centerpieces of the online channel. The show is produced exclusively for the Web and billed as “a fun, edgy, all-access look at the NHL.” A new episode of “The Hockey Show” will be produced each weekday during the season, and will offer Video-On-Demand, allowing fans to find and view archived shows and clips.
“As the consumer evolves, so do those trying to reach them,” said Tony Ponturo, vice president of global media and sports marketing at Anheuser-Busch’s domestic beer unit. “People in general are spending an increasing amount of time online and NHL fans are no different. We expect that the NHL Network Online and the League’s new broadband media player will be effective in reaching and engaging those fans.”
The NHL says it is trying to build a global scale through digital media. Over the summer, the league will roll out the new broadband media player to its 30 clubs, enabling them to utilize portions of the NHL Network Online’s channel lineup, as well as to deliver their own specific channels. Clubs can then “leverage their unparalleled behind-the-scenes access to develop compelling programming that connects with their fans,” according to the NHL.
“NHL fans are extremely passionate about the game, and have shown a great appetite for consuming League content through digital media,” said John Collins, the NHL’s senior executive vice president of business and media. “The NHL Network Online is representative of the NHL’s strategy to develop multiple, integrated assets that scale our business and create significant opportunities for our business partners.”
