Washington Capitals First to Announce On-Ice Jersey Ad Deal for 2022-23

Here it comes.

The Washington Capitals this morning became the first National Hockey League team to announce they would be placing an advertisement on their in-game uniforms. The announcement comes just a few weeks after the NHL approved the practice, the second “big four” league to do so.

Beginning with the 2022-23 NHL season, the Capitals will wear a Caesars Sportsbook patch on the upper right corner of their home and third jerseys, allowing it to be seen on-ice during every home game the Caps play at Capital One Arena. The patch is 3 x 3.5 inches and is a simple single-coloured white version of the logo.

“Following the successful launch of Caesars Sportsbook adjacent to Capital One Arena last spring, we are thrilled to introduce Caesars Sportsbook as the Capitals’ inaugural home jersey advertising partner in a first-of-its-kind announced partnership in the NHL,” said Monumental Sports & Entertainment, president of business operations and chief commercial officer Jim Van Stone in the press release. “Together as two industry leaders, we’ve built a robust partnership in the gaming and casino space, and our overall relationship reflects our shared commitment to providing sports fans with world-class, unique experiences. MSE, the Capitals and Caesars share a commitment and passion toward innovation in the sports and entertainment space, and the opportunity to incorporate Caesars onto Capitals home jerseys is a wonderful development and exciting new fan engagement opportunity for both organizations in the nation’s capital.”

The NHL’s jersey ad program allows teams to choose a different corporate logo to be placed on home and road uniforms; the Capitals said they would be announcing a separate deal for their road white jerseys at a later date.

“Being woven into the Washington Capitals jersey is an exciting chapter in our collective story,” Chris Holdren, Co-President of Caesars Digital, said in the release. “Like Monumental Sports & Entertainment, we love blazing trails, and we are always looking for innovative opportunities that drive engagement and storytelling for fans. We are proud to extend our historic partnership with such a storied franchise after launching the sportsbook at Capital One Arena.”

Caesars Sportsbook patch on Capitals jersey for 2022-23 (Photo: Simon Bruty)

The Capitals were also among the first to announce their helmet ad deal before the 2020-21 season with Capital One. They’re pioneers in this field; it would seem.