As the 2024-25 season winds down with the Stanley Cup finals and the Florida Panthers playing the Edmonton Oilers for the championship, Sony and the National Hockey League (NHL) have announced a new multiyear global technology partnership naming Sony an Official NHL Technology Partner to allow the league to increase its use of Hawk-Eye technology.
The NHL and Sony will work together to evolve the NHL experience for fans, as well as NHL coaches, officials, players and broadcasters, by increasing Sony’s Beyond Sports’ production of NHL animated data visualizations, broadening usage of Sony’s Hawk-Eye measuring and tracking technologies and investing in various Sony products and technologies that will bring NHL fans closer to the game than ever before.
“Partnering with Sony, a best-in-class industry leader, will help further the goals of our technology efforts to engage passionate NHL fans around the globe,” says David Lehanski, vice president, business development & innovation. “Advancing the development and implementation of technology on and off the ice is a key priority for the League, and this partnership will highlight the impact of Sony’s groundbreaking work in several of our key initiatives, such as NHL EDGE Puck & Player Tracking and animated programming, to bring fans closer to our great game and showcase the NHL as a worldwide technology leader.”
Sony and NHL to Expand on the Applications in Which Hawk-Eye Technology is Utilized
The NHL has used Sony’s Hawk-Eye technology since 2015 with Synchronized Multi-Angle Replay Technology (SMART) services installed in all 32 NHL arenas to help provide the speed and accuracy the NHL requires for its replay reviews and coaches’ challenges—with later enhancements supporting team medical, and player health and safety reviews. Data collected via optical tracking cameras is also integral to the creation of live NHL animated data visualizations, post-production content and replay technology, and will be featured in future experiences in development involving mobile apps and XR. Sony’s Hawk-Eye will continue to expand technology innovation and support the creation and delivery of more immersive NHL content.
“Our partnership with the NHL is more than a collaboration — it’s a shared commitment to innovation, creativity, and cutting-edge technology,” comments Sander J. Schouten, managing director, Beyond Sports, a Sony Group company. “We’ve pushed the boundaries of what’s possible in sport tech, delivering exciting, data-driven innovations that are not only redefining how sport is consumed but together, with the wider Sony’s sports businesses, are establishing new benchmarks for the entire industry.”
The NHL and Sony’s Beyond Sports first collaborated in 2018 on multiple projects to explore opportunities built on NHL EDGE (Puck & Player Tracking) positional data. Sony’s Beyond Sports’ animated data visualization expertise has played a key role for the NHL in transforming its data into a fan engagement driver, delivering new IP-driven content — from the NHL Big City Greens Classic, a Sports Emmy-nominated animated broadcast presentation and Tommy Hawk’s Birthday Party, the first-ever regional animated real-time sports animated broadcast presentation, to more serialized animated programming, such as NHL HOCKEYVERSE Matchup of the Week. Sony’s Beyond Sports’ work also led to immersive digital activations, such as NHL Blast on Roblox, which drew over one million unique users in its first month in April 2023. These initiatives Sony asserts, have expanded the League’s reach among younger audiences and set new standards for sports data integration.
“From imaging and broadcast to some of the world’s most advanced data visualization and tracking innovations, Sony remains committed to helping create the future of sports through technology,” adds Theresa Alesso, president, imaging products and solutions Americas, Sony Electronics. “This partnership builds upon a successful history of collaborations between the NHL and Sony, and we are excited to reinforce our commitment to the game, fans, and players.”
