NHL launches GameFlow, second screen stats-based experience
For NHL fans that want to get an in-depth experience while watching a game, the league has launched GameFlow on their app.
The interactive tool visualizes shot pressure with waves as the game goes on. These shots include any goals, missed, blocked, and saves — anything resembling a shot attempt or shot on goal.
“NHL fans are very tech savvy and embrace innovative digital experiences like GameFlow that take them further inside the game,” said Stephen McArdle, NHL executive vice president of digital media and strategic planning.
GameFlow is available during or after the game takes place, allowing a better look into some of the live action, or to look back on last night’s game and where it went wrong for your favourite team.
On the graph, fans that have NHL.TV are also able to select a point in the game — say, before a big wave of pressure by your team — and then start watching from the selected point. To watch exactly how your team pressured their opponent, but still walked away from the period without a goal.
Eventually, the tool is expected to include data from the puck and player tracking that will be implemented sometime in 2020.
“We're on track now for puck and player tracking to be introduced at certain points in the regular season for showcases or one-off events,” McArdle said.
“Full puck and player tracking will come at the start of the playoffs, to be utilized as a broadcast enhancement. As we move into next season, working with DSS, we will determine the right integrations. But you can imagine puck and player tracking at the intersection of that with shot pressure will create some pretty cool experiences.”
It will be interesting to see where the tool goes from here and if it appeals to the wider hockey audience.
Barry Tishgart, senior vice president and general manager, hockey, Disney Streaming Services certainly believes in its innovation.
“It's the first of its kind and is really not available in any other sports app today," Tishgart said. "It will change the way live sports are consumed. It gives the user more control than just flipping from one out-of-market feed to another."
GameFlow was developed with the help of Micah Blake McCurdy, the creator of hockeyviz.com, one of the leading hockey advanced stats websites. So for those that believe the NHL messes up every opportunity they have, this one was at least created in collaboration with someone that knows what they’re doing.
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