A partnership deal announced today between the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Russian-based sports betting operator Liga Stavok made the operator the first-ever exclusive partner of the league in Russia.
First-Ever Russian Sportsbook Partner
The agreement between Liga Stavok and the NHL also named the local betting company the Official Sports Betting Partner of the NHL and Official Sportsbook of the NHL in Russia and the CIS region and authorized it to conduct dynamic marketing campaigns across digital sports betting utilizing official branding of the professional hockey league.
“This marks an exciting time for NHL fans in Russia. Liga Stavok, the market leader in sports betting, is partnering with the NHL, the world’s premier hockey league, to deliver inventive initiatives designed for our robust fan base in Russia. We look forward to working with Liga Stavok to bring new features to the NHL experience in Russia.”
John Lewicki, Vice President, Business Development and Partnerships, International, NHL
Liga Stavok, which will also receive recognition on all NHL digital assets as a premier marketing partner, including on the league’s official Russian website, will gain rights to use in its promotions official NHL marks, logos, and designations to create a fan engaging content and authentic NHL marketing programs.
“Moving towards an international level is part of the business strategy of Liga Stavok. It is a great honor and responsibility for us to expand our participation in development of world ice hockey…This partnership with the NHL is another historic step in this direction. We are thankful to NHL for appreciating our business potential and reputation as the most popular sports bookmaker in Russia.”
Yury Krasovskiy, CEO, Liga Stavok
Full Portfolio of NHL Digital Assets
Liga Stavok, which served as the presenting sponsor of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs Bracket Challenge on the NHL Russian website, will have access to the full portfolio of digital assets owned by the NHL, including digital, social, and marketing campaigns aimed at building awareness and boosting fan engagement.
Founded in 2008 as a betting development business, Liga Stavok is the only sports betting firm in the country that provides extensive support to ice hockey on a national level, being the official partner of the Russian Hockey Federation and the Russian national ice hockey team since 2017.
The agreement was reached with the support of Swiss-based sports data company Sportradar, which is the NHL’s Official Betting Data Rights Partner, as well as an established partner of the Russian operator. Recently, there was information that the NHL is mulling on becoming a shareholder at the data company.