NHL Breaks Ground with William Hill Partnership

Following the PASPA ruling from the US Supreme Court back in May, we’ve seen a number of developments in regards to gambling Stateside. Among the news to come out of America are the reports that several sports teams are actively seeking sponsorship but while confirmed deals have been slow to come through, the NHL has finally broken ground.

It’s been confirmed that the Las Vegas Golden Knights have signed a multi-year deal with William Hill to become their official betting partner. It’s the first of its kind for the National Hockey League and may well ‘open the floodgates’ in terms of future announcements.

Groundbreaking

Las Vegas Golden Knights

For William Hill, the deal represents their second foray into US Sports after previously agreeing a contract with another Las Vegas team – the Lights – who play in the United Soccer League. However, for the NHL, this is a groundbreaking announcement and while the financial details have not been confirmed, a considerable sum will have changed hands in return for this ‘first’ for the sport.

In return for that outlay, William Hill will receive significant exposure via what has been described as ‘visible signage’ at the Knights’ very own T-Mobile Arena. For the many fans who are just getting used to the fact that betting has suddenly been allowed in many regions across the US, this move should help to give Hills an advantage by creating goodwill among supporters of the hockey franchise.

Historic

Kerry Bubolz

Golden Knights president Kerry Bubolz said in press release:

We are always looking for innovative ways to engage different segments of our fan base and provide a unique fan experience.

This partnership between a major professional team and a sports book operator is a historic, landmark agreement and we are delighted to be leading the way with William Hill in this space.

Meanwhile, William Hill CEO Joe Asher added:

We could not be more excited to partner with the Golden Knights.

William Hill is the leader in the U.S sports betting market and we are proud of the fact that this is the first sponsorship agreement between a sports book and an NHL team in the country.

Asher went on to state that the operator had received a number of approaches from franchises asking about similar partnerships. Among those requests, the Golden Knights clearly stood out but that news confirms the belief that more of these deals will get over the line in the weeks and months to come.

New Arrivals

This story comes at the start of a new era and that theory is very much underlined by the fact that the Las Vegas Golden Knights were formed as recently as 2017. The team began life in the Pacific Division of the NHL’s Western Conference and despite having strong financial ownership, this is a timely deal as they look to make their mark in hockey’s big league.

Although gambling has been legal in Nevada for some time, state law previously forbid companies to promote their gambling services in this way so William Hill are now benefiting from the PASPA ruling. The deal represents another bold step in this new era and it will be fascinating to see it develop over the course of the contract.