Roman is now the official digital men’s health clinic of the ‘20 Stanley Cup Playoffs. It is one of the three digital health clinics operated by N.Y.-based Ro, which recently scored a $200M series C funding round. Roman, whose limited deal extends through the Final, will have one of four corner in-ice positions as part of the relationship. It will also have a media buy with NBC and through NHL Network. Roman also is in its second season sponsoring MLB. NHL Senior VP/North American Development & Global Partnerships Kyle McMann said that the league -- which unveiled the corner in-ice positions during the '17-18 postseason -- is trying to use the inventory to find non-traditional sports buyers, like Roman, who see television exposure as a viable opportunity. Ro co-Founder & Chief Growth Officer Rob Schutz said that Roman’s select media buys around hockey have performed well in the past and when his team was evaluating how to capitalize on sports returning, one area of interest was the NHL and specifically, the corner in-ice placement. “Is it’s really about media exposure,” Schutz said. “When we looked at ice time and the impression time that a logo on the ice would get, especially in the spot we got ... that was really exciting.” On average, the in-ice corners are seen for approximately 30 minutes per game, according to the NHL.
PERFORMANCE METRICS: Schutz added that with all games being played in two hub cities along with the heightened visibility of hockey returning, Roman felt it “could get maximum exposure” through a relationship with the NHL. Hockey also aligns with the brand’s demography, he said, with the average age being 46. “A TV-heavy media deal where we have exposure across the spectrum of games really aligns very well with what a TV audience for the NHL looks like,” he said. In evaluating the sponsorship, Schutz said impressions will matter but also “quantifiable and attributable traffic.” Whether this is incremental traffic Roman would not have gotten otherwise had it not had a relationship with the NHL, he said. Genesco Sports Enterprise assisted Ro in brokering the deal. Currently, MGM Resorts, Little Caesars and adidas are the three additional brands receiving corner-ice placement throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
