The NHL has announced a new partnership with TikTok and the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA), with the deal set to focus on athlete-driven content.

The partnership will see NHL athletes work with TikTok on short-form video content, with TikTok to receive on-ice branding and the creation of the TikTok Tailgate Stage at two outdoor NHL events.

The events will begin with the 2022 Stadium Series in Nashville, where TikTok and the NHL will collaborate on selecting music artists such as confirmed performer, Walker Hayes, whose performance will be exclusively livestreamed on TikTok.

The two outdoor events are expected to be followed by similar events in the lead up to the Stanley Cup playoffs later in 2022, as the NHL looks to further grow its TikTok audience and engagement.

NHL chief marketing officer and senior vice president, Heidi Browning, said the league originally saw growth across TikTok during the COVID-19 pandemic through the creation of series including the Hockey at Home and Fan Skills programs.

“TikTok is an extremely influential entertainment platform with a growing audience of Gen Z users,” Browning said.

“While highlights are among our most engaging content, through this partnership, we hope to reach the broader TikTok community with exclusive content that captures the amazing fan experience at NHL games and tentpole events, player lifestyle videos, and concerts and global livestreams,” she said.

TikTok Canada general manager, Daniel Habashi, said: “Sports content is evolving; fans on TikTok want to see an authentic and multi-dimensional side of the athletes, leagues, teams, and games they love.”

“We’re lucky to work with partners like the NHL and NHLPA who recognise this and want to bring music and fashion into the fold – two verticals that are both integral to TikTok and extremely popular with our global community,” Habashi said.