There is an old joke that is along the lines of “I went to a boxing match and a hockey game broke out.” In a world of Web3, perhaps the joke should be “I watched a hockey game and ended up with a bunch of NFTs.” An announcement was made on Friday, April 1, 2022 that Orange Comet, Inc. has partnered with four National Hockey League teams to serve as the official non0-fungible token producer and marketplace.

Orange Comet refers to itself as a premium content creation company focused on producing high quality and disruptive NFT digital collectibles and blockchain-based experiences. The four NHL teams in the pact are the Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Tampa Bay Lightning. Within the NFT collections, fans and buyers will get an opportunity to participate in real-world experiences and they will also get access to special merchandise.

According to the press release, this pact broadens the partnership with Oak View Group’s Arena Alliance, which is dubbed as an invite-only group for venues to maximize sponsorship opportunities. This is also not just a short-term deal, and it’s not the first NHL deal for NFTs. The release said:

The expansion, part of a multiyear partnership, comes on the heels of sold-out NFT drops with both the Oak View Group operated New York Islanders and Seattle Kraken NHL clubs, and marks significant leaps forward in the sports and NFT arena for Orange Comet and Oak View Group. These inaugural collections will come to life with innovative and thoughtful designs that amplify the identities of each iconic NHL club, while bringing these special brands into the evolving Metaverse.

Sales will begin on April 13, 2022 on Orange Comet’s website. Each of the teams in the pact will sell only 1,000 all-access passes during this exclusivity period, although the release also noted that fans can purchase as many passes as they want within that period on an “as available” basis. And after the sale, passholders for each team are said to be “privy to multiple exclusive NFT drops through June 30, 2023.”

This is not Orange Comet’s first effort here. on top of prior NHL teams, the Walking Dead NFTs and NFL Alumni’s The Locker Room are listed in its existing collections. Orange Comet was also co-founded by Dave Broome (Hollywood producer), NFL Hall of Famer Kurt Warner and music icons Gloria and Emilio Estefan.