Discover Card Scores NHL Sponsorship

Only two months after acquiring title sponsorship to the Orange Bowl, Discover Card has signed a deal with the NHL that will make the financial services company the league’s official credit card and financial sponsor in the U.S. The one year deal, which includes advertising commitments, is worth $5 million, the New York Times reports.

Discover Card, which has been an NHL advertiser in the past, will begin presenting sponsorship of the NHL all-star game as a component of the sponsorship.

"We know our customers love hockey and they love college football," Jennifer Murillo told Discover's director of advertising, told NYSportsJournalism. "We were looking for ways to connect with our customers and the things they are passionate about, so [these deals] came about at the right time for us."

Murillo did not discount the idea of other major sports sponsorships in the brand's future.

"If we find the right opportunities that matter to them you will see more things from us that reflect what our card members care about," Murrillo said.

The NHL has now signed $330 million in new sponsorships signed since 2007. According to a Reuters report, The NHL still hopes to add sponsors in other categories, including U.S. banking, men's grooming and airlines as the season gets under way.

"Discover's passion for providing unique rewards and experiences to their cardmembers is an excellent fit with the NHL where we are predicated on engaging and mobilizing fans around big events," said Keith Wachtel, Senior Vice President of Corporate Sales & Marketing for the NHL. "This coupled with Discover's significant support of our broadcast partners and NHL controlled media assets will provide a deeper engagement with our highly desirable fan demographic."