The 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs are in full swing and the Finals are just around the corner – and while the Cup is a tradition that has been around since 1892, advancing AI technology is creating new ways for fans to interact with the game.
Hockey fans crowded the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, this week for a viewing party for the Western Conference finals while the game was being played in Edmonton, Canada, with the live broadcast being shown on the arena's big screen.
On the ice, however, fans were able to watch live and in real time what was happening on the ice in a country thousands of miles away at a watch party. AI technology recreated the players' movements in real time in the form of color-coded circles projected onto the ice. (In Game 4, the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Dallas Stars with a 5-2 comeback.)
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Fans shared clips of the technology in action on social media, stunning hockey fans around the world.
“This is really cool,” wrote one fan.
“This is incredible,” said another. “And very useful!”
The technology company SMT explained how the technology works in a follow-up article.
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“What you see is actually our SPRITES app projected onto the ice,” the company wrote. “This comes from our puck and player tracking technology, known as NHL EDGE, which uses infrared technology and various cameras to track the exact puck and player positions!”
Arena Watch Parties – Puck and Player Tracking
The Stars' official X-Account confirmed that the arena will bring back the new technology for Game 6, which is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Friday.
The applications of this technology are limitless, affecting both players who want to be discovered and teams looking to make big transfers. The technical observation of precise movements in real time could make analytical decisions clearer and with fewer distractions.
The Stanley Cup playoffs continue tonight with Game 6 of the Western Conference Final at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The score is 2-2.
