NHL announces partnership with Opendorse to build player brands

The NHL has partnered with athlete marketing platform Opendorse, the league announced Thursday. The partnership is said to be an effort to build and promote player brands and increase fan engagement through social channels.

Participating clubs and the league itself will use the platform to help players share highlights, in-game images, and other media to their personal social media platforms.

"As players, we create so many moments on the ice, but rarely have access to it after the fact," Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang said. "With Opendorse, I get back to the dressing room after a win, and boom - there's a post ready to share with fans. It sounds simple, but this partnership is a big win for us as players and for the game itself."

The New Jersey Devils were the first NHL club to partner with the marketing platform in 2017-18. They led all teams in total player engagement and engagement rate that season and also ranked second in player follower growth, having added more than 130,000 followers during that time.

Teams around the league have hosted "social media nights," but the NHL has been criticized in the past for failing to connect its players with the fans on the same level as other leagues like the NBA and NFL.

"We owe it to our players and the fans to make their moments more accessible beyond the broadcast and the in-arena experience," NHL chief marketing officer Heidi Browning said. "Our players have some of the most passionate, engaged fans in all of sports, and we believe we can help them continue to build and capitalize on that connection on social media."

Opendorse is currently used by more than 9,000 athletes around the world.