Yahoo Sports Set to Operate NHL.com Fantasy Hockey Games

Yahoo Sports has struck a deal with the NHL to operate a co-branded fantasy hockey game, to be hosted on Yahoo and promoted extensively across both sites. The game will include league marks, and for the first time, both team- and player-specific highlight video. "Having the league marks, video and their involvement really is only going to enhance the game and increase its credibility," said Yahoo Sports & Entertainment VP & GM Jimmy Pitaro. "We've frankly been flat [on registrations] the last couple of years, and we wanted to do something to move the needle." The Yahoo-NHL pact is separate from an existing video highlights deal they hold, as well as a related deal with Versus in which the portal streams NHL telecasts from that network. Yahoo and the league will share in advertising around the game that both sides will seek to sell, and there is also a revenue-sharing agreement around monies gained directly from users opting into league marketing while registering for the fantasy game.
By Eric Fisher and Tripp Mickle of SportsBusinessDaily