The NHL has partnered with Sony’s Hawk-Eye to boost officiating and fan engagement by way of participant monitoring, digital broadcasts, and potential VR experiences.
NHL Hawk-Eye Deal
The NHL is doubling down on Hawk-Eye know-how, signing a multi-year cope with Sony to combine superior monitoring instruments that might dramatically alter officiating selections and fan experiences throughout the game.
The league’s new settlement makes Sony an official NHL know-how accomplice, increasing Hawk-Eye’s affect past instantaneous replay and into real-time monitoring, participant analysis, and immersive digital content material — together with automated offsides opinions and VR fan experiences.
“This partnership now canvases throughout their entire firm in a method that’s going to have an effect on everybody in our group,” stated David Lehanski, NHL EVP of enterprise improvement and innovation.
What’s Hawk-Eye Know-how in Hockey?
Hawk-Eye Improvements has revolutionized officiating in numerous sports activities, most notably tennis and cricket, and is now serving to the NHL map each movement on the ice. Utilizing 60-frames-per-second optical monitoring techniques, Hawk-Eye tracks:
29 factors on every participant
3 factors on each stick
This information fuels greater than replays — it powers real-time visualizations, efficiency analytics, and shortly, might help automated rule enforcement, together with offsides and goal-line calls.
All 32 NHL arenas are actually outfitted with the Hawk-Eye setup, enabling league-wide standardization of monitoring capabilities.
Will the NHL Use AI for Offsides and Purpose Opinions?
Sure — or no less than, it’s below critical consideration.
The league is evaluating whether or not Hawk-Eye’s participant monitoring information can help real-time automated officiating for each offside infractions and aim confirmations.
However hockey’s velocity and fluidity pose distinctive challenges in comparison with sports activities like soccer or soccer. In accordance with the NHL, they’re nonetheless testing feasibility.
Nonetheless, the imaginative and prescient is obvious: sooner, extra correct officiating selections powered by know-how that’s already confirmed itself in different main leagues, together with the NFL and European soccer.
How Does NHL Participant Monitoring Enhance Fan Expertise?
This isn’t nearly officiating. The Hawk-Eye growth may redefine hockey viewing at house.
Right here’s what followers can anticipate:
Child-friendly animated broadcasts, already in use
Digital actuality evaluation, the place analysts like PK Subban enter immersive, 360-degree replays
Net-based interactive experiences, letting followers management digicam angles and even “replay” large performs themselves
Gaming integrations, resembling Roblox activations (which noticed over 1 million customers of their first month)
Sony plans to leverage its broader ecosystem — from PlayStation VR to Sony Footage and Music — to create immersive, gamified hockey experiences.
“We need to usher in one of the best of PlayStation, one of the best of Sony Music, Sony Footage… to take the sports activities business to a brand new stage,” stated Rufus Hack, CEO of Hawk-Eye, Pulselive, and Past Sports activities.
Will NHL Followers Be In a position to Watch Video games in VR?
Not fairly but — however that future is quick approaching.
Sony’s Past Sports activities division is working with the NHL to digitally recreate video games in actual time, setting the stage for VR fan experiences throughout platforms like PlayStation.
Ultimately, followers may:
Watch video games in VR with full mobility
Swap between first-person views of gamers
Take part in digital watch events or coaching simulations
NHL’s Historical past With Hawk-Eye
The NHL has partnered with Sony’s Hawk-Eye tech since 2015, initially utilizing it for enhanced video replay opinions. Over time, the partnership expanded to incorporate real-time skeletal monitoring and broadcast enhancements.
The NHL’s popularity as an early tech adopter has made it a case examine for different leagues now exploring related options — from the NFL’s line-to-gain cameras to automated offside techniques in European soccer.
