Hockey fans, get ready for some in-your-face action from the ice: The NHL and the National Hockey League Players’ Association reached a deal with GoPro to outfit players with its wearable cameras for video that will be used in live television broadcasts and across other media.
The agreement with the National Hockey League is GoPro’s first with a major professional sports league. Under the pact, the NHL will use GoPro’s cameras to deliver unique perspectives of the game showcasing top players during national and regional game broadcasts and across the digital and social-media platforms of the NHL, NHLPA and GoPro.
In addition, GoPro’s Professional Broadcast Solution wireless transmitter developed with Vislink will deliver live HD video. That will debut during the 2015 NHL All-Star Weekend Jan. 23-25 in Columbus, Ohio. GoPro cameras worn by players will deliver real-time content and multiple angles for the 2015 Honda NHL All-Star Skills Competition on Saturday, Jan. 24 (7 p.m. ET on NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports). The TV networks also are expected to use GoPro video for the live broadcast of the All-Star Game on Sunday, Jan. 25 (5 p.m. ET).
“GoPro is the perfect partner for us in our ongoing commitment to bring hockey fans closer to the game,” said Bob Chesterman, NHL senior VP of programming and production. “As the preeminent leader in adaptable cameras, only GoPro has the technology to help us and our media partners showcase the beauty and intensity of hockey in new and deeper ways.”
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GoPro is working with other broadcast partners to test the wireless HD transmitter. On Thursday, ESPN used the cameras for its Winter X Games 2015 Aspen coverage. In the event’s speed and style snowmobile competition, athlete Colton Moore raced with a GoPro and transmitter, and ESPN used the feed in the telecast.
Under GoPro’s pact with the NHL, video content captured with GoPro cameras will be used throughout the rest of the season. Game broadcasts will use the content to showcase skating, stick-handling, goal scoring and goal-tending skills of some of the biggest NHL stars.
“This partnership marks a significant first step for GoPro into team sports, made possible because of NHL and NHLPA’s progressive thinking,” commented Todd Ballard, GoPro’s senior director of lifestyle marketing at GoPro.
As part of the agreement, GoPro becomes an official partner of the NHLPA and the NHL and will receive prominent brand exposure across the NHL’s broadcast, digital and social media platforms. Those include NHL Network, NHL.com, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Vine. In addition, NHL video content will be featured on some of GoPro’s dedicated media channels, including the GoPro YouTube channel.
Watch a video about the NHL-GoPro partnership:
