Athletic Brewing Company has signed a multiyear partnership with the National Hockey League to become an official non-alcoholic beer partner in Canada, with plans to promote its products through league events, retail campaigns and digital marketing.
The agreement makes the company the NHL’s first dedicated non-alcoholic beer partner and gives the U.S.-based brewer access to league marketing channels and hockey events across Canada.
Through the partnership, Athletic Brewing plans to reach fans through digital and social media, retail activations, custom content and a planned Stanley Cup Final sweepstakes. The company will also use co-branded advertising and NHL-branded packaging to promote its products in Canadian stores.
Heritage Classic to launch partnership
The partnership will be featured at the 2026 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic in Winnipeg on Oct. 25, where Athletic Brewing plans to hold fan activations and product sampling.
The company will also have in-stadium signage, an in-ice logo and broadcast exposure through digitally enhanced dasherboard advertising during Sportsnet’s game coverage. Its products will be available for purchase at select concessions and hospitality areas at the event.
The agreement also includes a national retail campaign aimed at adult amateur hockey players and leagues across Canada, extending the company’s marketing efforts beyond professional hockey audiences.
“Hockey is woven into the fabric of Canadian culture, and we’re thrilled to team up with the NHL to bring Athletic’s great-tasting brews to fans,” said Bill Shufelt, co-founder and chief executive of Athletic Brewing Company. “Whether they’re watching from home, gathering with friends, or headed to the rink, we believe everyone deserves a great brew that fits their lifestyle. This partnership gives us an incredible platform to introduce Athletic to more consumers across Canada and become a meaningful part of the hockey experience.”
Max Paulsen, the NHL’s vice-president of global business development, said the league plans to work with the brewer on initiatives targeting fans in Canada.
“We are proud to welcome Athletic Brewing Company, a non-alcoholic brewing pioneer, to the NHL family,” Paulsen said. “We look forward to building impactful fan-focused programs together to engage our passionate fans in Canada, whether they are watching the NHL or coming off the ice after playing a game at their local rink.”
Canadian retail presence
Athletic Brewing entered Canadian retail in 2022 and is now available in more than 2,500 outlets nationwide, according to the company.
Founded by Shufelt and John Walker, the brewer launched commercially in 2018. The company says it developed a proprietary non-alcoholic brewing method through hundreds of small-batch trials that reworked much of the brewing process.
Athletic Brewing describes itself as North America’s largest dedicated non-alcoholic brewer. It also says it has received more than 200 taste awards over the past decade.
The company operates breweries in Connecticut and California and sells its products through retail outlets and other channels in the United States. It says its products are available at more than 75,000 retail locations across the country.
Athletic Brewing’s Canadian expansion through the NHL partnership will include television, digital and social media advertising, as well as in-store displays and packaging bearing the league’s branding.
The financial terms of the multiyear agreement were not disclosed in the announcement.
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