Labatt Breweries and the National Hockey League (NHL) have announced a multi-year partnership, which includes the appointment of Budweiser as an official beer of the league in Canada.

As part of the partnership, Labatt will receive TV exposure via Digitally Enhanced Dasherboards, the league’s new advanced technology for dynamic dasherboard advertising during regular season games. The brand will appear on the Stanley Cup Playoffs broadcast on Rogers Sportsnet, as well as Prime Monday Night Hockey game broadcasts on Prime Video.

The new partnership also provides Budweiser with a number of marketing and promotional opportunities, which will help connect the brand with hockey fans. The company will roll out promotions across its network of retail partners and on social media. It will also deploy activations at NHL events and games, such as the NHL Heritage Classic, a series of regular-season outdoor league games.

The strategy behind the partnership is to connect the beer brand with one of Canada’s favorite pastimes, which draws people of all ages and genders, says Andrew Oosterhuis, VP of marketing for Labatt.

“As an organization, Labatt is always looking to leverage the scale of national partnerships to ensure our leading portfolio of brands reach more consumers in more occasions,” Oosterhuis tells Media in Canada. “This multiyear agreement allows Budweiser to continue its legacy of bringing friends together over a beer during gametime because that’s what buds do.”

According to Oosterhuis, the partnership is also a natural fit for the brand because of its long history of supporting hockey, including the Budweiser Red Light activation, a giant goal light structure that has been installed in various locations across the country since 2013.

Last year, Budweiser also expanded its existing NHL club sponsorships to new activations for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It launched a retail contest that rewarded consumers with one of 50 “Fan Caves.” The prize package included a new TV, speakers, a beer cooler and a subscription to NHL Live.

“Budweiser is looking for a scale partner to continue its rich history of celebrating hockey goals from coast-to-coast, so whether you’re a lifelong supporter of the sport or new as of next year, our goal is to inspire friends to get together, cheer for their favourite team and enjoy a beer during game time,” Oosterhuis says.