NHLs Toronto Maple Leafs Secure PokerStars Renewal

National Hockey League’s (NHL) Canadian giant, the Toronto Maple Leafs has secured a renewal of its sponsorship agreement with PokerStars.net for another season.

The Canadian wing of the online poker firm has signed a one-year renewal with the NHL franchise’s parent company Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment for an undisclosed fee.

Under the terms of the agreement, PokerStars.net will receive branding on rinkboard advertising hoardings at all home fixtures played at the Air Canada Centre and ticket giveaways, providing Leafs fans with the chance to win goal judge seats at the team’s home rink.

Having first sponsored the franchise in 2007, PokerStars.net will sponsor the team throughout the 2011/12 NHL season.

Team PokerStars professional Daniel Negreanu, a Toronto native who has won four World Series of Poker bracelets, said: “Millions of Canadians, including myself, are diehard sports fans and poker players. Hockey is our national pastime and recently poker has surged in popularity as Canadians have begun to excel on the international stage.

“I have played hockey my whole life and grew up watching the Toronto Maple Leafs, which is why I am excited that PokerStars.net is a sponsor. It is a great relationship and allows the world’s largest online poker school to team up with an iconic franchise to deliver exceptional promotions for poker and hockey fans.”