Adobe and NHL Announce Marketing and AI Partnership

Adobe has been named the official Creative, Marketing and AI Partner of the NHL.

As part of this partnership – which spans the 2026-27 NHL season – Adobe will be providing AI technology to help power the ways the NHL creates and personalises fan experiences across all of its touchpoints. 

This comes as the NHL – which currently has more than 200 million fans across 147 countries – looks to expand its global footprint and deepen audience engagement. 

According to Adobe, the partnership could also provide fans with new creativity tools, with which they can create content to express their passion for the sport and the players. 

“The National Hockey League has built an extraordinary connection with its fans, and Adobe is helping them take that relationship to the next level by using AI to deepen personalisation and empower everyone to create,” says Lara Balazs, CMO and EVP of Global Marketing at Adobe.

 “With Adobe’s enterprise solutions, the League will be able to scale relevant, engaging content across every channel where fans spend their time, fuelling operational efficiencies and unlocking individual creativity."

Creating more personalised experiences for hockey fans

This partnership between Adobe and the NHL is set to provide the League and the 32 clubs that sit within it access to Adobe’s CX Enterprise solutions – bringing together marketing, creativity and AI tools in order to drive impactful customer experiences.

“Fandom, human connection and community is why I'm fired up about Adobe teaming up with the National Hockey League (NHL) as Official Creative, Marketing and AI Partner,” says Lara. “Together, fueled by our agentic AI, we'll create more personal experiences for 200M+ fans across 147 countries, across digital channels, markets and Clubs.” 

Adobe’s AI offering

As part of the partnership, Adobe and the NHL will partner on a series of AI initiatives. 

This includes use of Adobe GenStudio – Adobe’s AI-powered content supply chain solution to help the NHL transform the ways it creates and delivers content and ensure it can keep pace with the speed of the game and fan expectations. 

Through this, the NHL will have the ability to create more personalised experiences for its channels, such as NHL.com, the NHL app, social media and digital advertising, while also customising content for individual markets and languages. 

Alongside this, the NHL will also use Adobe’s Experience Platform, which can provide a real-time window into the needs and preferences of customers. 

Looking ahead, Adobe Express could also give NHL fans new ways to express their passion for the game. 

With the ability to use Gen AI capabilities for image generation along with NHL-themed templates, fans will have the option to create content that can be easily shared across social media platforms to increase reach. 

“The NHL’s greatest strength has always been the passion our fans bring to the game,” says David Lehanski, NHL Executive Vice President of Innovation and Growth Strategy. “As the ways people follow sports continue to evolve, our focus is on creating experiences that feel as dynamic and compelling as the game itself. 

“Adobe will help us unlock new ways to tell the stories of our Players, Clubs and moments that define hockey, while giving fans more opportunities to be a part of it. 

“This partnership reflects our commitment in continuing to evolve how fans connect with the game they love.”

Who are the NHL’s key partners?

• Sony: The NHL and Sony work together to evolve the NHL experience for fans, as well as NHL coaches, officials, players and broadcasters, by increasing Beyond Sports’ production of NHL animated data visualisations and broadening usage of Hawk-Eye measuring and tracking technologies.
• Apple: Apple's partnership with the NHL focuses on technology integration on team benches and ice-level officiating tools rather than traditional cash sponsorships.
• Verizon: As an Official Technology Partner for the NHL, Verizon has been selected to deploy Verizon Private 5G Wireless Network across NHL arenas to help game day operations roll out new and transformative solutions to advance the sport and improve the overall fan experience.
• Adobe: Adobe has been named the NHL’s Official Creative, Marketing and AI Partner for the 2026-27 season.