Arizona Coyotes players will now wear Gila River Resorts & Casinos on their home jerseys as part of the partnership between the team and the Gila River Indian Community.
This marks the inaugural sponsorship of an NHL team by a Native American jersey sponsor, as well as the first time the NHL is allowing teams to have advertisements on jerseys.
Due to NHL rules, ads for sportsbooks and gambling ventures can be worn only on home jerseys, so the Coyotes will have to find an additional sponsor for their road jerseys.
In addition to jersey sponsorships, Gila River Resorts and Casinos will be the season-long 'presenting sponsor' of the Coyotes. This includes sportsbook and membership activations around games at the team's temporary home at Arizona State University.
Arizona Coyotes President and CEO, Xavier A. Gutierrez, told ESPN: "It's more than a brand sponsorship. I've made it very clear that the three pillars of our business plan are impact, inclusion and innovation.
"Not only in bringing diverse voices to our organization but in embracing every aspect of our community."
The team had a previous relationship with the casino as their former home arena in Glendale was named the Gila River Arena. Glendale ended its lease with the Coyotes after 18 seasons when the 2021-22 season concluded.
Gutierrez added the team will make more money from having Gila River Resorts & Casinos emblem on its jerseys than it did having it displayed in the Coyotes' home arena.
He added: "They're going to be a larger revenue partner for us this year than they were previously. As far as the total package, they've increased their spending.
"We have a longtime partner that believes in what we're doing, that believes in the club and believes in the temporary, intimate location that we're playing in. They see it and understand it."
The Arizona State University new arena will be named the 'Mullett Arena' and hold between 4,800 and 5,000 fans for Coyotes games.
