The National Hockey League (NHL) has announced a partnership with DreamHack Sports Games to collaborate on online and live esports competitions.
Under the terms of the agreement, MTG’s sports simulation business unit will produce the NHL’s esports events through content development, live streams of tournaments, along with influencer-driven competitions.
In addition, DreamHack has been tasked with seeking new sponsors for the division’s gaming events, whilst working with the firm’s existing partner brands across endemic categories and on an international scale.
“We have built a great base for competitive gaming at the NHL over the past three years and have seen our Gaming World Championship capture the attention of fans and gamers across the globe,” explained Chris Golier, Vice President of Business Development and Innovation at the NHL.
“This partnership with DreamHack Sports Games will help to strengthen our brand in the gaming ecosystem as they provide world-class production resources and longstanding relationships in the industry.”
DreamHack will operate this year’s 2021 NHL Gaming World Championship, which will take on a new format as it builds on the Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT) format and ‘aligns’ more closely with real world action.
The NHL made its first foray into the esports landscape in 2018 with the maiden NHL Gaming World Championship. Last year, the division staged the NHL Player Gaming Challenge in the absence of the sport due to the outbreak of the coronavirus.
Roger Lodewick, CEO of DreamHack Sports Games, remarked: “This cooperation with the NHL is a landmark moment for us. It is a confirmation of the innovative work everyone at DreamHack Sports Games has been doing in the Sport Gaming vertical. We’re genuinely proud and privileged to work with the NHL team to produce and jointly sell these amazing NHL esports properties.”
The company already works on various eFootball Leagues in Europe, such as Denmark’s eSuperligaen, the Swedish eAllsvenskan, the eDivisie in the Netherlands, and has also collaborated with the European eTour and Topgolf on a golf gaming project.
