Photo: Sportsnet
We’re nearly two months into the 2022-23 NHL season and the roll-out of the league’s digitally enhanced dasher boards in which virtual advertisements replace the standard signage on arena boards. As with all technology, there were some glitches along the way.
Before we look at the glitches, here’s a quick bullet point summary of the digitally enhanced dasher boards, or DEDs:
- See all the digital dasher board ads through the main center ice camera
- Allows the broadcasts to show sponsors and ads at home or on the road (competition factor)
- Advertisements will constantly change in the five various zones sold to sponsors: behind both nets and all three zones.
- Advertisers have the ability to “take over the boards” in a certain zone or even the whole rink
- Took the NHL seven years and tens of millions of dollars
Keith Wachtel, the NHL’s chief business officer and executive vice president of global partnerships, called the enhancement “taking something that’s existing, keeping that value, but replacing it with something that’s much better and isn’t static.”
It debuted during the NHL’s Global Series games:
Here’s a look at the new virtual advertisements in today’s Sharks/Preds game:#NHL | #NHLGlobalSeries pic.twitter.com/OFAwgVzOyy
— NHL Zone (@Zone_NHL) October 7, 2022
For the most part, the DEDs have operated decently; however, technology is technology, and it has come with its fair share of glitches and bizarre moments.
The most notable digital disaster during a game was back in October between the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers. The boards glitched between ads, causing players or half their bodies to “disappear” amid the digital transition.
These new NHL digital ads are wild pic.twitter.com/uN6InE68Zr
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) October 13, 2022
Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom was a victim of the digital ads as his upper body disappeared and reappeared.
I’m no doctor, but from my arm chair, I’d suggest that Markstrom should be in concussion protocol for missing his upper body. @nhlI’ll take the digital boards if they work, but they don’t. @NHLFlames #Flames pic.twitter.com/t2oa0kp3bK
— David Frid (@adanacYYC) October 23, 2022
Lookin’ like hockey ghosts…
NHL digital ads really do be wild😂😳 pic.twitter.com/aCmxMPpAs3
— Everything Hockey (@EHClothing) November 11, 2022
@NHL needs some work on their virtual dasher board ads. pic.twitter.com/EhBmCvitDz
— Rich (@rcoop21) November 4, 2022
Keep in mind that players and everyone physically at the arena are not seeing the digital ads, but those watching at home are. Here are some notable digital…distractions?
lol this massive digital puck flying towards the player isn’t distracting at all pic.twitter.com/jprPQFWaJD
— Dimitri Filipovic (@DimFilipovic) October 16, 2022
@NHL @NHL_On_TNT these ads animating during action is distracting and giving me a headache pic.twitter.com/Wxhn29LHwE
— SpaceGhcst (@GhcstSpace) October 13, 2022
Compilations have already surfaced with how distracting the digital ads have become. It’s the auto ads for me…
And then sometimes there’s nothing. At all.
When the new digital dasher ads don’t work… it’s like watching an #NHL game in the 80s! #Clean pic.twitter.com/Emc6iI8SZ1
— Dan Harland (@DanHarland) October 13, 2022
Wachtel noted it would take some time for fans to get used to it, adding, “Like anything else, you’re going to have your people that don’t like it, that think it’s difficult to watch, but over time, like everything else, people will get used to it, and we’re not concerned at all whatever… When you’re in the arena, you won’t see any change. When you’re watching at home, you won’t know the difference.”
As always, we want to hear your thoughts on these digitally enhanced dasher boards. Cast your vote in the poll below!
By Della Young