How the NHL is humanizing its players to reach new fans - ESPN

Between the return of best-on-best international hockey and a series of pop culture breakouts, hockey is having a moment.

Nearly 1.8 million people watched the NHL for the first time last season after watching the television series «Heated Rivalry» or «Off Campus,» according to NHL research. The league also found television viewership among 18-to-34-year-olds increased 30% following the Winter Olympics in February.

Now the NHL is trying to turn that attention into lasting fandom — in part by changing how it markets its players.

«People fall for people. That emotive connection is really, really important,» Sean Eggert, the NHL's new senior executive vice president and chief marketing officer, told ESPN. «Every player is a new way to reach a new fan.»

Eggert said the success of hockey-centric shows «Heated Rivalry» and «Off Campus» reinforced the value of showing a more human side of hockey players.

«It does demystify what's happening behind the helmet, that there are real relationships, there's real emotion that's happening,» Eggert said. «It's humanizing the players and it's giving us an entryway to do the same.»

One example is "NHL In Focus," a six-part series featuring players in editorial-style photo shoots and profiles away from the rink. The first edition features Cole Caufield, Macklin Celebrini and Matthew Schaefer at a diner the league rented during its Player Media Tour in Las Vegas.

There are no uniforms or action shots. The players are photographed with professional stylists and groomers, with the focus on their personalities away from hockey.

The project comes as the NHL's player pool is undergoing its own generational shift. According to the league, 61% of its players are now Gen Z.

The NHL also eliminated