• by Tanya Gazdik , November 2, 2011

Discover Financial Services and the National Hockey League are renewing a multi-year sponsorship agreement.

As part of this agreement, Discover becomes title sponsor of the inaugural NHL on NBCbroadcast on Thanksgiving Friday, now titled the 2011 Discover NHL Thanksgiving Showdown. This broadcast launches NBC’s coverage of the NHL for the season, making it the earliest NHL regular season broadcast on national U.S. television in more than 20 years. The game will feature the Boston Bruins hosting the Detroit Red Wings at 1 p.m. ET Nov. 25.

Discover and the NHL also will introduce a co-branded float titled “Frozen Fall Fun” that will make its first appearance in this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which reaches nearly 50 million viewers. The float, featuring a live performance of Grammy-Award winning artist Cee-Lo Green, is 36-feet-long by 20-feet-wide and is designed to reflect a fall hockey theme. It will feature NHL stars from the past, a synthetic ice rink and a 12-foot-tall turkey that serves as a hockey goal.

The renewal of the partnership will give Discover increased opportunities to engage with U.S. hockey fans nationwide and develop exclusive hockey themed rewards and experiences across various NHL special events, says Jennifer Murillo, vice president of brand communications for Discover.

Throughout the NHL season, Discover will offer opportunities for cardmembers to redeem their Cashback Bonusrewards for tickets to the 2012 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic in Philadelphia. Discover cardmembers also receive discounts to Shop.NHL.com and the NHL Powered by Reebok store in New York City and NHL GameCenter Livesubscriptions.

Discover will remain the Official Card of the NHL, NHL All-Star Weekend, NHL Winter Classic, NHL Awards and the NHL Draft. The Riverwoods, Ill.-based financial services company first signed on as an official partner in November 2010. Earlier this year, Discover hosted a contest that awarded one young hockey fan a day with the Stanley Cup.