The NHL has signed a "five-year extension of Pepsi’s North American sponsorship rights," a deal many thought would be the league's "most challenging renewal,” according to Terry Lefton in this week's SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. Financial terms were unknown, but sources said that negotiations "were finalized in early to mid-May.” Sources also said that the deal “comes with commitments for additional stateside beverage and salty snack food promotions around the league’s big events like the Winter Classic and during the spring, which would fit well into the league’s strategy of fashioning the two months of the Stanley Cup playoffs into the NHL’s version of March Madness.” NHL COO John Collins said, “We had very productive discussions with Pepsi executives, including (CEO of PepsiCo Americas Beverages) Al Carey, who saw the value in where we are going and is supporting our jewel events, big-event strategy at retail with a combination of beverage and snack food promotions.” Collins added, “It fits well with the strategy we’ve adopted for (fellow NHL sponsor) MillerCoors, and that’s not coincidental.” Lefton notes the "renewal of one of the NHL’s largest sponsors when the league is heading into potential labor difficulties -- its collective-bargaining agreement expires Sept. 15 -- is also a nice vote of confidence.” Pepsi has been an NHL sponsor since ’06 (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 5/28 issue).
