• by Karl Greenberg , October 6, 2008

American Honda Motor has signed a three-year deal making the Torrance, Calif.-based automaker the official vehicle of the National Hockey League.

As part of the arrangement, Honda sponsors NHL television and Internet coverage of American and Canadian leagues, and will sponsor a number of NHL events in the U.S. and Canada, including NHL Face-Off Rocks 2008, NHL Winter Classic and NHL All-Star Weekend.

The deal gives Honda advertising media on NHL.com and during TV broadcasts of games. Honda also gets camera-visible signage during games and events and on-site displays of Honda vehicles at select events.

Honda's first deal with hockey was in 2006, when it signed on as presenting sponsor of Honda Center, home of the Anaheim Ducks.

Competitor Kia signed a deal early this year to be Official Automotive Partner of the NBA. The deal gave Irvine, Calif.-based Kia title sponsorship of the Most Valuable Player Award; Defensive Player of the Year; Sixth Man Award; and Most Improved Player. Kia also got title sponsorship of the Eastern Conference and Western Conference Player of the Month awards.

Honda sold 96,626 vehicles last month, a decline of 20.9% versus September last year. Even with that slump, Honda's U.S. sales year-to-date are only down 1.1%.

Honda's eponymous division accounted for sales of 86,629 vehicles last month, a decline of 20%. Acura sales were off 27.5% versus September last year.

The league is launching its 91st season with NHL Face-Off Rocks, a nationwide grassroots effort that involves TV programming, street festivals, and promotional sweepstakes offering a Honda Fit and a trip to the 2009 NHL Winter Classic at Wrigley Field in Chicago, as prizes.

As part of the events, the rock band Def Leopard will perform at the Fox Theatre in Detroit before the Red Wings play their opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Singer Alanis Morissette will perform for NHL Face-Off Rocks from Place des Arts in Montreal, with the show carried by CBC and Versus in Canada and the U.S.