NHL’s Technology Showcase focuses on fan experience

The NHL’s Technology Showcase last week “emphasized the work being done to bolster the fan experience,” according to Joe Lemire of SPORTTECHIE. NHL Exec VP/Business Development & Innovation Dave Lehanski “outlined the league’s objectives for serving fans and was clear about the hierarchy.” He said the in-arena experience is at the "top of our list." Lehanski: “We've seen attendance declines in other sports. We're super fortunate, for a variety of reasons, that we're still operating at 95% capacity -- NHL fans are avid, the game moves really fast so we think it lends itself better to younger consumers. ... We're not going to sit back and rest on that.” The event saw SMT "capably providing tracking data" and Verizon and Amazon "providing 5G and cloud services." It was “more a preview than a wish list," with a "mix of technologies currently available or at least technically possible, even if not yet implemented in the NHL." Verizon Dir of Sports Partnerships & Innovation Eric Nagy said that the company is “working to ‘aggressively deploy’ 5G at all venues.” That goal “took a leap forward” in September ‘20 when Verizon joined as the NHL’s "official 5G partner.” With broadcast partners Rogers, ESPN and Turner, the NHL “continues to upgrade its at-home viewing, as well.” The league hopes to make SAP’s iPad Coaching Insights app “available to broadcasters as soon as the upcoming playoffs" (SPORTTECHIE.com, 4/26).

APPEALING TO THE YOUTH: ESPN.com’s Greg Wyshynski wrote the NHL Edge tracking technology has “multitudes of practical applications, from player assessment to coaching strategy," but the NHL also sees that data as a “way to attract younger fans.” The NHL “made its first forays into esports and even created a youth advisory board” in ‘19 called NHL Power Players. But it was puck-and-player-tracking tech that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has "indicated could be something that breaks through to Gen Z” (ESPN.com, 4/26).

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