• by Tanya Gazdik , over 1 hour ago

The United States Postal Service and the National Hockey League are announcing an agreement today making USPS the official shipping sponsor of the NHL.

“The NHL epitomizes the competitive spirit and embodies the characteristics of teamwork, endurance, determination and the relentless pursuit of excellence,” said Sheila Holman, vice president of marketing for USPS, in a release. “Every day, our organization brings these traits into our daily service to the American public and so we are pleased to bring our brands together for what promises to be a fun and entertaining collaboration.”

USPS will interact with fans at NHL events such as NHL Winter Classic and NHL Stadium Series with on-site activities. 

At the 2026 NHL Stadium Series in Tampa, the USPS will present a hockey skill activation and a photo booth where fans will be able to get a postcard with their image that they can mail directly from the exhibit.

USPS will receive exclusive marketing rights connecting its brand with the NHL and its fans through the NHL’s marketing, digital and social media channels. The two organizations will also collaborate on original content and storytelling across both NHL and USPS platforms. 

The sponsorship deal is surprising in light of news that the USPS continues to struggle financially. For nearly 20 years, the world’s largest mail carrier has been losing money, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. 

In November, the agency reported a net loss for the year under generally accepted accounting principles totaling $9 billion, compared to a net loss of $9.5 billion for the prior year

“In surveying the results of the past year, the occasional appearance of financial progress -- such as our profitable first quarter -- is far outweighed by the reality of our significant systemic annual revenue and cost imbalance,” said Postmaster General David Steiner in a release. "To correct our financial imbalances, we must explore new revenue opportunities and public policy changes to improve our business model. Most importantly, we must operate more efficiently and compete more effectively to best perform our public service mission.”

USPS is moving ahead with operational updates tied to its long-term transformation plan, which also includes increased shipping prices starting Jan. 18.

The change will raise prices approximately 6.6% for Priority Mail service, 5.1%for Priority Mail Express service, 7.8% for USPS Ground Advantage and 6.0% for Parcel Select.

USPS' biggest competitors -- FedEx and UPS -- are also big marketers and have various sponsorships.