AdWeek reported yesterday that the NHL and GoPro have struck a deal to feature the camera’s footage throughout the coming season. GoPro, which recently IPO’d, has – along with its stunning technology – gained popularity because of user-generated POV YouTube clips.
Its first-person vantage point lends itself particularly well to helmet sports. Bob Chesterman, the NHL’s SVP of Programming, told AdWeek that the league’s two national TV partners will integrate the GoPro into game telecasts, demonstrating the shooting and skating skills of NHL players.
More from AdWeek:
If a player filmed by GoPro scores this season, NBC or Rogers can illustrate what they saw on the play by cutting to taped footage from the commercial shoot, said Brian Jennings, NHL’s CMO. The league will also feature the POV content on NHL Network and NHL.com, while GoPro will use it on its YouTube channel.
The GoPro mini-cameras capture images that were “unimaginable” before, said Jennings. “The [technology] demystifies our game—and truly shows what skill our players have,” he said.
GoPro has tremendous production value for networks, giving producers another angle to work with and its potential to generate viral clips.