Pixellot Brings Hockey Back to Fans During the Pandemic
By Jamie G
With the hit of the pandemic, sports streaming became crucial to help sport events still grace the TV’s of their fans. With the help of Pixellot technology, HockeyTV was able to provide a huge collection of games from prep school and youth hockey up through the developmental junior hockey leagues in Canada and the USHL south of the border to users all around the world.
HockeyTV is one branch of HockeyTech, a leader in providing hockey-related technologies, analytics, and information services, founded by Stu Siegel. HockeyTech also runs the AHLTV platform for the American Hockey League, hockey’s top developmental league below the NHL.
In 2016, HockeyTech installed Pixellot’s A1-driven camera system.
“What it does is actually shoot a panoramic video of the ice sheet. Then, using artificial intelligence, it follows the action by zooming in to the appropriate area on that panoramic stream, to create the illusion that there’s a cameraperson leading the camera. What’s actually happening is that the computer is choosing where it’s going to zoom in.”
Stu Siegal
With the installation of Pixellot technology in 2106, HockeyTech was able to enforce social distancing during the pandemic, which is extremely important to stop the spread of Covid-19. The system helps minimize the number of people who need to be in the building to put the production of not just games on , but also practices.
With the Pandemic, HockeyTV brings not just games to viewers but practices to scouts who are unable to attend live practices and content to families who want to see their family members play. Pixellot technology makes this all possible.
“In the middle of this pandemic, it’s made streaming go from what used to be, even six months ago, a nice-to-have in the amateur market, to now being a must-have. If a parent or family member can’t go to a game, you’d better be providing a way for them to be able to watch their child.”
David Shapiro, Pixellot’s president for North America
Check out the full article written by Carol Schram here!
Learn more about Pixellot here!