• by Tanya Gazdik , 10 hours ago

The National Hockey League and Adobe are partnering with the goal of transforming fan experiences with artificial intelligence (AI) across every touchpoint.

As the NHL gets ready to drop the puck on the 2026-27 regular season, Adobe becomes an Official Creative, Marketing and AI Partner.

Adobe will provide AI technology to support the NHL’s global expansion efforts (with over 200 million fans across 147 countries), delivering the ability to personalize fan experiences and enable individual creativity.

As the game moves beyond the arena and across digital channels, Adobe CX Enterprise solutions will activate AI for the NHL to deliver the right fan experience at just the right moment.

Looking ahead, the partnership could also equip fans with AI-powered creativity tools to express their passion for the sport with content that could be shared on social media.

Adobe Express could give NHL fans the ability to use generative AI capabilities powered by Adobe Firefly for high-quality image generation, along with NHL-themed templates. 

The NHL's greatest strength has always been the passion fans bring to the game, says David Lehanski, NHL executive vice president of innovation and growth strategy. 

“As the ways people follow sports continue to evolve, our focus is on creating experiences that feel as dynamic and compelling as the game itself,” Lehanski says in a release. “Adobe will help us unlock new ways to tell the stories of our Players, Clubs and moments that define hockey, while giving fans more opportunities to be a part of it. This partnership reflects our commitment in continuing to evolve how fans connect with the game they love.”

The partnership will provide the league and its 32 clubs access to Adobe CX Enterprise solutions -- combining marketing, creativity and AI tools to drive impactful customer experiences.

Over 20,000 brands across industries leverage Adobe solutions to drive "Customer Experience Orchestration," creating systems where organizations can anticipate customer intent and ensure that interactions are relevant and engaging.

“The National Hockey League has built an extraordinary connection with its fans, and Adobe is helping them take that relationship to the next level by using AI to deepen personalization and empower everyone to create," says Lara Balazs, CMO and executive vice president of global marketing, Adobe, in a release. "With Adobe's enterprise solutions, the League will be able to scale relevant, engaging content across every channel where fans spend their time, fueling operational efficiencies and unlocking individual creativity."

Adobe has partnerships with other leagues including Major League Baseball, the National Football League and the PGA Tour. 

The company has a multi-year partnership with MLB to power digital fan experiences using Adobe Experience Cloud and AI tools. Adobe also serves as the official Presenting Sponsor of MLB Opening Day for 2026, 2027, and 2028.

Adobe is an official global partner of the NFL, supplying tools like Adobe Express, Firefly, and Adobe Experience Platform to scale live content creation and personalized fan journeys.

The PGA Tour uses Adobe's enterprise and real-time customer data solutions to enhance digital interactions and cross-platform fan engagement.