North American professional ice hockey league the ECHL has agreed a first-of-its-kind partnership with insurance firm Geico.
The multi-year deal names Geico the official auto insurance partner of the ECHL, and the company will also become the official goal sponsor of each of the league’s 27 US-based teams.
As part of the agreement, goalposts across the league will henceforth be coloured blue and feature the Geico logo. The insurer will also be granted extensive marketing rights by the ECHL.
Ted Ward, vice-president of Geico, said: “As the premier ‘AA’ hockey league in North America, the ECHL offers a great opportunity for us to connect and build brand awareness with a vast legion of hockey fans and enthusiasts who attend their games.”
Troy Miller, president of Division One Sports, who negotiated the deal, added: “This fits Geico. It’s fun. It’s creative. It’s an attention-grabber. We’re changing history here.”
The ECHL is one level below the American Hockey League, the development league that feeds the National Hockey League. The 2015-16 season begins on October 16.