Motorpoint has signed a five-season deal to be the principal commercial partner of the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL).
Now known as the Motorpoint Elite League[LP1.1], the partnership will last until 2031 and is the first time the leading nearly new and used car retailer has held the naming rights for a professional sports league.
With exclusive naming rights for both the regular season and playoff games, Motorpoint will have a notable presence across the league with new integrated branding, commercial activations at selected games and standalone activity at the playoffs, which will take place at the Motorpoint Arena Nottingham.
Explaining why Motorpoint has chosen to partner with the Elite Ice Hockey League, Alex Howland, Marketing Director at Motorpoint, said: “Just like Motorpoint, the EIHL has a strong national presence and with so much crossover between where their teams are based and we have stores, it felt like a natural fit for us.
“With the Elite League playoffs having been hosted at the Motorpoint Arena Nottingham since 2004, we’ve already worked closely with the league to amplify the fan experience at these events and are looking forward to building on this as part of the partnership.
“We’re really excited about this partnership and what we have planned for the upcoming season. You can expect to see us have a presence with every team in the league, as well as working nationally with the league to keep fans up to date with all the exciting initiatives we’re running online and across our stores nationwide.”
Tony Smith, Chairman at the EIHL, added: “We’re thrilled to welcome Motorpoint as the naming rights partner of the EIHL, with the league becoming known as the Motorpoint Elite League going forward.
This is an exciting time for the league, with attendances continuing to grow strongly across recent seasons, more fans engaging with the sport than ever before and wide-ranging interest in new franchises. Motorpoint is a brand with a strong UK-wide presence and ambitious growth, making this partnership a natural fit.
“We believe there is a real opportunity for both organisations to build something meaningful together. Partnering with a nationwide brand strengthens the profile of the league, helps us support our clubs for many years to come, and we are delighted that Motorpoint recognises the value and potential of the Elite League.”
A new integrated logo has been developed to recognise the partnership. In addition, Motorpoint branding will be prominent across the league on ice logos, team jerseys, rink side advertising as well as all other league-specific assets.
The news follows an exciting period for the UK’s leading independent retailer of nearly new and used cars. Motorpoint announced a stellar set of annual results last month with pre-tax profits up 82.9% on the year prior and renewed its naming rights partnership with Motorpoint Arena Nottingham – making it the third longest running continuous entertainment arena naming-rights relationship in UK history.
