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Vape Brands Sponsoring Hockey Events: A Growing Trend

Vape Brands Sponsoring Hockey Events: A Growing Trend

As sports and lifestyle industries continue to evolve, an unlikely pairing has started making waves—vape brands sponsoring hockey events and NHL teams. This growing trend reflects shifting cultural norms and marketing strategies that cater to an adult demographic blending recreation, entertainment, and lifestyle choices. While tobacco companies have long been banned from sports advertising, vaping—particularly flavored nicotine-free and harm-reduction devices—has found a gray area in modern sponsorship deals. In this article, we explore the motivations behind these partnerships, their reception, and what the future may hold for vaping’s place in professional sports.

The Intersection of Vaping and Sports Sponsorship

For decades, sports sponsorship has been a highly coveted form of brand promotion. It combines visibility with emotional engagement, placing logos and branding directly in front of loyal, passionate fanbases. While traditional products like beer, energy drinks, and fast food have been mainstays, vaping companies are now positioning themselves as lifestyle brands that align with individual freedom, choice, and modernity.

Vape brands, especially those focused on adult consumers and harm-reduction narratives, have increasingly used sports marketing to break into mainstream conversation. Hockey, with its fast-paced action and blue-collar fanbase, offers a unique platform for vape companies looking to reach audiences who might already be transitioning away from traditional smoking.

One notable example was the buzz around RELX Technology's reported interest in sponsoring sports events during its 2021 U.S. expansion. Although that specific plan never materialized at the NHL level, it marked a clear shift in intention among vape companies to link themselves with sports visibility.

Notable Vape Brands Partnering with NHL Teams

While direct sponsorships at the NHL level remain a complex legal landscape due to national advertising laws around tobacco products, regional teams and events have seen increasing vape brand involvement, especially in Canada and parts of Europe where regulations vary.

Some examples of this trend include:

  • Bo Vaping and local hockey events in the Midwest U.S., where brands have sponsored tailgate-style fan zones with giveaways of nicotine-free devices.
  • STLTH Vape Canada reportedly partnered with minor league arenas for adult-only sections during post-game concerts and community events.
  • Puff Bar’s discreet product placement at lifestyle and youth events adjacent to sports competitions, aiming at building brand awareness without direct advertising.

These partnerships are not always front-and-center but often take the form of experiential marketing—tents, lounges, or QR code-based samplings available to fans 21+.

Emerging Categories of Vape Product Promotions in Hockey Arenas

  • Nicotine-Free Options: Brands promoting wellness or flavored vapes often focus on zero nicotine offerings to avoid regulatory backlash.
  • Harm-Reduction Messaging: Companies like JUUL Labs (despite their legal troubles) have leaned into messaging around switching from combustible cigarettes.
  • Smart Vape Technologies: Some brands promote high-tech disposables with temperature control or vape-monitoring apps, aligning with the forward-thinking image of modern sports.

Controversy and Support Around Vape Sponsorships

Naturally, this growing trend hasn’t come without backlash. Health professionals and advocacy groups argue that vape sponsorships echo the mistakes of cigarette ads in the 1980s, especially as young adults remain the most common demographic for vape initiation. Critics worry that even adult-only advertising still bleeds into public culture, potentially glamorizing vaping for minors.

Organizations like the Truth Initiative and public health campaigns have openly called for stricter regulations that prevent vaping brands from appearing at sports events. Meanwhile, NHL representatives have largely kept a cautious distance from overt sponsorships, preferring to focus on partnerships with brands that don’t provoke regulatory headaches.

However, not all reactions have been negative. Some adult fans argue that harm-reduction products are far less invasive than alcohol, which continues to dominate the sports sponsorship landscape. They view vape partnerships as a modern alternative that reflects personal choice and evolving lifestyles. In fact, consumer surveys suggest that many fans appreciate the option to purchase and use vape products in designated areas of arenas or at fan-hosted events like tailgates and bar meetups.

The Future of Vaping in Pro Sports

As the landscape of public health, regulation, and lifestyle branding continues to shift, it’s likely that vape sponsorships will remain a point of contention and evolution. Much like how CBD and hemp-derived products have slowly entered the sports arena through sponsorships and athlete endorsements, vape companies may follow a similar path—opting for soft integrations before achieving full legitimacy.

Here are a few likely developments on the horizon:

  • Regulation-Driven Innovation: Vape brands may focus more on nicotine-free or wellness-oriented products that can be more widely advertised without legal barriers.
  • Influencer Marketing Over Arena Ads: Rather than paying for scoreboard placements, brands may shift toward sponsoring NHL player podcasts or fan YouTube channels.
  • Community-Driven Events: Companies will continue to tap into the fanbase by sponsoring post-game events, viewing parties, and bar crawls—areas where they can legally operate and engage directly with consumers.

Vaping, Sports, and Fan Culture: A Common Thread

Tailgates, watch parties, and community gatherings have long been central to the hockey experience. Vaping fits into this narrative by offering a shared social ritual, not unlike cracking open a cold beer. Whether it's during pre-game festivities or mid-game breaks, vapes are often passed around in groups, becoming part of the bonding process.

Interestingly, the same way cultural shifts in alcohol sponsorship continue to shape brand involvement in sports, vaping may follow a similar narrative. As public sentiment evolves, so too will the brands that can capitalize on these cultural spaces.

Conclusion

The emergence of vape brands sponsoring hockey events is more than a marketing tactic—it’s a reflection of evolving consumer habits, regulatory challenges, and the persistent fusion of lifestyle with sport. While controversy surrounds this trend, the push-and-pull between personal freedom, public health, and commerce continues to drive innovation.

As this space grows, fans can expect more nuanced approaches—fewer flashing neon logos and more subtle, socially integrated promotions that meet consumers where they are. Whether at a minor league rink or a Stanley Cup viewing party, the intersection of vaping and sports culture is shaping up to be a major player in the future of fan engagement.

For those tracking these changes, Forbes provides in-depth coverage of how emerging brands are breaking into sports in innovative ways.