ECHL (hockey)

J. Patton Sports Marketing Named Exclusive Supplier of Hologram Products for ECHL

PRINCETON, N.J. - The ECHL announced on Thursday that it has signed a three-year agreement with J. Patton Sports Marketing to be the exclusive provider of hologram tags and stickers for ECHL and team merchandise. The hologram tags and stickers serve as product authentication, identifying merchandise as Officially Licensed by the ECHL.

"We are pleased that, as a part of its new brand identity, the ECHL has selected J. Patton Sports Marketing as its brand protection and authentication services provider", said Mike Dunn, President of J. Patton Sports Marketing. "We look forward to working with the ECHL, its member teams, and its licensees in the protection of their intellectual property."

"J. Patton brings a reputable service to the ECHL, protecting the products of the ECHL licensees and the marks of the league," said Glen Thornborough, ECHL Vice President of Marketing and Sales. "These products provide ECHL fans with authentication that they are purchasing officially-licensed products of the ECHL."

The ECHL opens its 2003-04 season on Friday, October 17 with 31 teams in 17 states playing a record 1,116 games, making it the largest league in professional hockey. The ECHL welcomes nine new markets for 2003-04 with the addition of the Alaska Aces, the Bakersfield Condors, the Fresno Falcons, the Gwinnett (Georgia) Gladiators, the Idaho (Boise) Steelheads, the Las Vegas Wranglers, the Long Beach Ice Dogs, the San Diego Gulls, and the Texas (Beaumont) Wildcatters.

In 2002-03, the 27 members of the ECHL had affiliations with 24 of the 30 teams in the National Hockey League and 22 of the 28 teams in the American Hockey League. There were 90 former ECHL players that played in the NHL in 2002-03, including 20 who made their NHL debut, and there have been 215 former ECHL players that have gone on to play in the NHL.

This article was taken from www.echl.com.  All rights reserved.