The National Hockey League, National Hockey League Players’ Association, SAP and ESPN’s Take Back Sports initiative have announced the second installment of the Hockey Innovation Competition. This year’s edition targets Florida’s growing hockey market, inviting undergraduate and graduate students from across the Sunshine State to develop solutions that make the sport more inclusive, accessible and enjoyable.
The competition is a product of the NHL/NHLPA Industry Growth Fund, an entity established in 2013 to support initiatives that promote youth hockey development and long-term fan engagement. The IGF has dedicated more than $200 million to programming, events and education designed to bring hockey to communities across North America.
Florida represents a strategic choice for this year’s competition. The state has emerged as one of the NHL’s fastest-growing markets following back-to-back Stanley Cup victories by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021, and consecutive championships by the Florida Panthers in 2024 and 2025. These wins have driven record fan engagement and increased youth participation in the region.
The competition opened for entries on October 6 with a November 17 deadline. The response drew 28 proposals from 12 participating colleges and universities, engaging more than 100 students ranging from first-year undergraduates to MBA and Masters candidates.
Participants represent 21 distinct academic programs, including Nursing, Political Science, Engineering, Finance, Juris Doctor, Marketing, Journalism, Business Administration and Sport Management. This cross-disciplinary approach reflects the competition’s design philosophy of bringing diverse perspectives to hockey’s growth challenges.
The inaugural competition in January 2025 attracted more than 250 students from 13 Ontario institutions and generated 63 submissions. That edition focused on technology experience, customer experience and program enhancement in education and mobile tour sectors. The University of Guelph took the top prize, with Humber Polytechnic earning runner-up honors. Both teams received scholarship funding and NHL experiences.
Following the first year’s success, post-secondary professors began developing courses aligned with competition objectives. This academic integration allows students to earn credits while gaining real-world business experience through their submissions.
Students were asked to build their proposals around one of three innovation pillars designed to address foundational challenges in youth sports.
The first pillar focuses on supporting the people who power sport. Coaches, referees, trainers, parents and volunteers often operate over capacity with limited support or recognition. Students were challenged to develop solutions that improve training, support systems and appreciation for these essential contributors.
The second pillar addresses expanding spaces for play. Many communities lack affordable, safe or accessible venues for organized or pickup hockey. The competition asked students to consider how everyday Florida spaces, including schoolyards, gyms, church parking lots and parks, could be transformed into hockey-friendly environments.
The third pillar centers on putting fun back at the center of sport. This aligns directly with ESPN’s Take Back Sports initiative, which launched earlier this year to combat declining youth sports participation. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association and Aspen Institute’s State of Play 2024 report, only 38.3% of children ages 6-12 played sports regularly in 2023. Students were asked to design experiences that reduce pressure and emphasize creativity, friendship and enjoyment.
A selection committee will review all 28 proposals in early December and narrow the field to 20 teams. Each advancing team will present their concept in a virtual setting before six finalists are chosen.
The final six teams will receive mentorship from industry professionals who will help refine pitches, provide business insights and offer network support. NHL on ESPN personality Arda Öcal will host Final Pitch Day at ESPN Wide World of Sports on January 22, 2026. A judging panel of industry leaders from all partner organizations will evaluate the presentations.
Finalists will compete for multiple awards including The Innovator Award and The Changemaker Award. Additional prizes include scholarship grants, VIP experiences, tickets to the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series and swag packages from event partners.
SAP brings a decade-long technology partnership with the NHL to this initiative. The collaboration has historically focused on solutions benefiting coaches, players, fans and League operations. The Hockey Innovation Competition extends this relationship through SAP’s University Alliances program, which helps educators bridge theory and practice while equipping students with in-demand skills. More than one million students from 2,700 educational institutions engage with SAP annually through the program.
“At SAP, we believe that innovation drives progress not only within our technology but also in the communities we serve,” said Amy Schulz, Senior Director of Global Sponsorships at SAP. “We are excited to see how the students’ innovative solutions will shape the future of hockey and inspire passion for the game.”
ESPN’s Take Back Sports initiative provides additional context for the competition’s focus on accessibility and enjoyment. The initiative launched earlier this year with a mission to increase access to play for young athletes amid declining participation rates.
“We believe youth hockey thrives when young players and their communities are empowered,” said Kevin Martinez, Vice President of ESPN Corporate Citizenship. “We’re excited to work with these students to explore new ways to expand access, boost participation and make the game even more enjoyable.”
A third Hockey Innovation Competition is already planned for Ontario beginning in Spring 2026. That edition will challenge students to reimagine hockey infrastructure with an emphasis on sustainability, multi-functionality and technological advancement while enhancing family and community experiences. Additional details will be announced in the new year.
The competition’s expansion from a single Ontario event to a multi-region annual program demonstrates the NHL and NHLPA’s commitment to engaging the next generation of sports business professionals. By pairing academic institutions with industry partners, the program creates a pipeline for fresh thinking on hockey’s growth challenges while providing students with tangible career development opportunities.
via: NHLPA
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