Bettman said the tech will begin as a broadcast enhancement, and evolve from thereGETTY IMAGES
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said that he is "hopeful puck-tracking technology will be in place" before the start of this season's Stanley Cup Playoffs, according to Ryan Dixon of SPORTSNET.ca. Appearing at the Prime Time Sports & Entertainment Sports Management conference in Toronto yesterday, Bettman said, "We're continuing to test it and we have to install the capability in every building. It's just a time-consuming process." Dixon noted this would be the "same system that debuted" at the '19 NHL All-Star Game 10 months ago. Puck- and player-tracking data has been "on the league's radar for years as a means for both game participants and viewers to learn more about what's happening on the ice." Bettman: "It's going to start as a broadcast enhancement and then we'll take it from there. It's going to have to evolve because in terms of what data people are finding useful, (that's) something we're going to all learn together" (SPORTSNET.ca, 11/18). In Toronto, Kevin McGran notes the technology "will be tested" at the Jan. 26 All-Star Game in St. Louis and "rolled out after that." Bettman said the effort will cost "tens of millions." It will "feature 200 points of data from the puck and 2,000 from each player, all giving followers quick access to information on speed (shots, passes, skating), time of possession, ice time and more" (TORONTO STAR, 11/19).
