by Dan Adkisson
When any big name in the NHL enters a sponsorship deal or endorses a brand, the visibility of the brand increases tenfold. Wayne Gretzky, for many, is the greatest hockey player of all time, so the fact he has supplied his brand and image rights to gambling companies has helped bring more significance and credibility to the sector. Although sports teams across the scope have long had endorsements and sponsorships in place with gambling companies, the inclusion of Gretzky and McDavid into this equation has generated a lot more hysteria.
Wayne Gretzky
NHL fans need no introduction to Wayne Gretzky, the GOAT of the game and the most prominent crossover star that has ever graced the rinks of professional hockey. In the same way that Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan became so big that they were internationally known, even by people who didn’t follow their sports, Gretzky had the same impact back in the 1980s and 1990s.
When video games started to generate big money during this period, Gretzky became the face of multiple hockey games. In the 1990s, having your image and name on the front of the video game was a huge endorsement and would rake in millions of dollars per year. You can unlock Gretzky on the latest NHL game as a legendary character, and he is the highest-rated legend you can unlock, which highlights his greatness.
Video gaming has come a long way since Gretzky’s playing days, the quality of the gameplay and graphics is on an entirely different level than it was back in the 1990s, and the official NHL game even has its own eSports tournaments where players can win big prizes against the best NHL gamers in the world. Today, generally finding the latest eSports betting odds for different games is straightforward, and NHL games are not an exception. The scope and size of the market have led many analysts to predict that this is the next big, new market in digital gambling.
Given Gretzky’s venture into gambling endorsements, the worlds of gambling, eSports, and the NHL act as a trifecta, helping to bring more people on board with each of the three industries. As a multi-billion-dollar industry, eSports cover a range of games, but Gretzky is one legend who has helped bring more eyes to both sectors over the years.
Connor McDavid
Ontario-born Oilers superstar Connor McDavid is arguably the biggest name in the NHL today. He has won multiple accolades and is often compared to Gretzky because of the level of his play. McDavid has already mirrored some of Gretzky’s achievements in many ways.
Still, now that they have both got behind megamoney gambling endorsements, they are beginning to draw the same comparisons off the rink as they do on it. Not many businesses wouldn’t love to have McDavid’s blessing; he is a Canadian superstar and one of the biggest sporting icons in the country.
Players rarely have one endorsement, especially players with the fame and ability of McDavid; he has entered agreements with some of the biggest sporting brands in the world and ever since he was the first draft pick for the Oilers in 2015, and the big companies were already queuing around the block to get his name on their products.
McDavid still has some of his best years ahead of him and is just entering his prime. Once he reaches the end of his playing days, who knows whether he will topple Gretzky in the eyes of the fans as the most outstanding Canadian hockey player of all time? While it is a big talking point on big hockey podcasts, it’s too early to make such polarizing statements at this juncture, but there’s no denying the immense star quality of both mega names.
Final Words
For companies looking to obtain endorsements from current or ex-hockey legends, you aren’t going to get much more significant than Gretzky or McDavid. Any company that manages to get its image rights and gets them on board will be jumping for joy, given that they hugely influence Canadian sporting culture. Canadian gambling laws vary from province to province, but as they become more loose and lenient, capitalizing and getting the superstars on board is a clever move to increase brand visibility and reputation within the industry.
Now that this brave new world is starting to take shape, these two NHL icons aren’t the only players taking advantage of significant endorsements in the gambling sector, and we imagine there’s a lot more to come, with plenty of budding partnerships on the horizon.
Celebrity and sports endorsements are powerful and can help propel any brand to the next level, but both parties need to exercise caution. One wrong brand move in either direction can seriously impact profits and reputation. Likewise, the right brand deal can transform a company into a more extensive operation within its sector.