- Apple and the NHL collaborate to give its officials Apple watches
- They will be used in an outdoor game for the first time on March 1st
- A personalized application can give the counts of officials and even tell them which players are in the penalty box
Apple and the National Hockey League (NHL) announced the next step in a partnership that has seen leaders of the League equipped with the best Apple watches in order to help them with officials.
Announced by the NHL, the officials will wear Apple watches and use a personalized application in the NHL Watch Comms during an outdoor game for the first time, in particular the match between the Blue Jackets of Columbus and the Detroit Red Wings at Ohio Stadium, on March 1.
The NHL says that league officials have used technology on a widespread scale, almost all officials with a watch this season.
In fact, they use it and refined them for a few seasons. The Apple Watches are delivered with a personalized application developed by Presidio, offering real -time notifications in play.
Apple Watch on Ice
The NHL says that communication between officials is difficult during matches due to the noise of the crowd and the electrical rhythm of the games. An external environment makes it even more difficult, the biggest being the lack of dashboard suspended above the central ice, which limits the way in which officials can keep track of the calendar and game situations.
Officials carrying the watch obtain haptic notifications during the match, including the clock and penalty count, and even the jersey numbers whose players are in the penalty box at any time.
David Lehanski, NHL executive vice-president David Lehanski said the League has a 90% participation rate among managers using technology. The NHL has been collaborating with Apple for several years, notably using the iPad and Mac to deliver real -time videos to coaches and players in the game in the past eight years.
The NHL has future plans to expand technology, in particular by adding support to direct communications between the four ice officials, other managers of the arena and officials of the League headquarters in Toronto. Apple Watch could even facilitate communication between officials and coaches in the future.
