NHL Signed Black Box Wines as Corporate Partner

The league secured its first wine category sponsorship to engage a growing female fan base.

Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Hockey

NHL Signed Black Box Wines as Corporate Partner

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The National Hockey League has officially signed Black Box Wines as its first corporate partner in the wine category. The multiyear agreement is designed to reach the league’s expanding female audience.

Why it matters

The NHL targeted the partnership after observing a significant rise in female engagement with the sport. The league hopes to capitalize on this demographic overlap with the wine market.

Black Box Wines parent company E. & J. Gallo Winery sold 90 million cases of wine in 2025 across its portfolio. Women currently represent 54% of all wine consumers in the United States.

The players

NHL

The National Hockey League is a major professional sports organization that manages elite hockey competition in North America.

Black Box Wines

Black Box Wines is a major wine brand known for its boxed products and is owned by the E. & J. Gallo Winery.

E. & J. Gallo Winery

E. & J. Gallo Winery is one of the largest wine producers in the world and manages a diverse portfolio of beverage brands.

The details

The sponsorship includes the launch of a new marketing platform titled Wine Wednesdays, which will utilize social, digital, and retail components. The brand will gain visibility through digitally enhanced dasher boards and activations at league tentpole events.

2018 to 2024: New Amsterdam served as an official NHL sponsor.
2025: Gallo sold 90 million cases of wine.
2026: The NHL female postseason audience reached 786,000 per game.
October 1, 2026: The NHL announced the wine sponsorship deal.

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Season Trajectory

This deal follows the trend of the 164% year-over-year growth in the NHL female postseason audience reported in 2026, which drives the league’s pivot toward consumer-facing lifestyle partnerships. The move reflects the league’s shift toward targeting demographic-specific sponsors to stabilize and grow its revenue streams.

Fans can expect to see Black Box Wines branding on digitally enhanced dasher boards during upcoming game broadcasts. Retail shoppers may find new promotional displays at local stores as the Wine Wednesdays platform rolls out.

The takeaway

This partnership highlights the growing influence of female viewers on the commercial strategies of major professional sports leagues. Brands are increasingly aligning with sports properties that can demonstrate clear demographic growth metrics in their fan bases.