Enterprise Rent-A-Car last week "inked a new three-year deal" with the NHL that contains "options for two- or three-year extensions," according to Mike Reynolds of MULTICHANNEL NEWS. Enterprise's initial three-year deal with the league expired at the end of the '11-12 season, and Chief Marketing & Communications Officer Pat Farrell said that the company "was ready to recommit to its relationship with the NHL but the lockout intervened, putting the renewal on hold." The company indicated that it "was not a matter of whether it would renew its sponsorship ... it was a question of when." Farrell: "The NHL has been a good partner. There was no harm in waiting to see how (the lockout) played out. It’s been a very positive relationship." He added that some "adjustments were made in the agreement to account for this shortened season." Farrell said that the NHL "skews with the younger part of Enterprise’s customer base, works well in the U.S., and is [a] strong performer for its operating groups in Canada." He noted that Enterprise will "come out of the gate 'full bore' on NBC and NBC Sports Network." He said, "It’s a nice level of ad spending, comparable to the past couple of seasons." Reynolds reported local operating groups "also purchase media on RSNs covering NHL clubs." In addition, Enterprise is "activating its sponsorship by dropping the puck for a third season on the Hat Trick Challenge." Fans can "play the online game by visiting NHL.com and then clicking the 'fantasy' tab" (MULTICHANNEL.com, 1/19).
