Dawson Mercer
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

New Jersey taking a unique approach to marketing during the coming season. 

When the NHL approved permanent ad space on players’ helmet, teams started lining up lucrative deals with sponsors.

This season, the New Jersey Devils are taking a totally different approach.

The Devils announced the team will be donating the ad space to small, Black-owned businesses for 13 home games this season. As part of a unique deal with Prudential, the season sponsor of the space and the title sponsor of their home arena, the Devils will start featuring the small businesses on Dec. 8.

The team is accepting applications from companies throughout October.

This is part of the Devils’ “Buy Black” program, which is a program the organization introduced earlier this year that promotes New Jersey-based Black-owned businesses.

The Devils were the first NHL team to announce a helmet sponsorship when they named Prudential their partner in December.

Tab has written about MLB, the NHL and the NFL for more than a decade for publications including The Fourth Period, Bleacher Report and La Vida Baseball. He is the author of two books about the Chicago Blackhawks and has been credentialed for the MLB All-Star Game and postseason and multiple Stanley Cup Finals. He is the co-host of the Line Drive Radio podcast.