The AHL presented the Checkers with the Most Unique Sponsorship Package or Entitlement award at its annual marketing meetings in Springfield, MA, earlier this week.

The Checkers earned the award for their partnership with Electrolux, which highlighted the “frigid air” inside Time Warner Cable Arena in support of the Frigidaire brand. It was the first promotion of its kind in the history of the league, earning it the annual award for creativity of concept, overall exposure, revenue and benefit to sponsors.

Throughout the year-long partnership, Frigidaire received PA mentions at 36 home games with the tag line of, “Feeling chilly tonight? Tonight’s frigid air temperature is brought to you by Frigidaire, the official refrigerator freezer of the Charlotte Checkers.” Simultaneous to the annoucement, Checkers mascot Chubby skated over to a Frigidaire unit located just outside the Zamboni door entrance, retrieved the “official frozen game puck” and delivered it to officials to start the game.

Other in-game elements of the partnership included the “Frigidaire Freezer Shuffle Game,” where fans watched an animation with three Frigidaire units on the video board and had to find which one contained the frozen puck, a “Cold Hard Facts” section in the official game-day program that highlighted player facts and accomplishments, 360 degree LED logo placement and more.

To highlight Frigidaire’s commitment to the community, the Checkers tracked their own community fundraising with a digital thermometer shown on the video board throughout the season. Frigidaire employees and guests also received hospitality via season tickets, a 300-person group night and the opportunity to bring a mobile marketing truck to Checkers games.