Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League debuted a puck and player tracking system during its All-Star Game and Skill Show last weekend. Finnish technology company Bitwise created the sensor-based Wisehockey product that offered fans and media such data as fastest skater and hardest shot.
Wisehockey uses Quuppa chips located on players and in the puck and has a cloud-based AI for real-time analytics. Finland’s hockey league, Liiga, installed Wisehockey in four of its arenas prior to the 2018-19 season, according to a press release. The league’s media partner, Telia, can include some of the data in its broadcasts.
Chips & tracking system said, that last night Bobrov division's Dmitry Kagarlitsky was the fastest on #KHLAllStar ice. pic.twitter.com/RNAfnLncwr
— KHL (@khl_eng) January 20, 2019
The KHL All-Star events used the tracking data in its app and for public dissemination. Its English-language Twitter account, for instance, posted such metrics as top speed and longest distance covered.
“Real-time sports analytics is a hot topic in international arenas, but completely successful solutions have not yet been seen in ice hockey rinks,” Bitwise sales manager Miska Kuusisto said in press release. “We are proud to be able to offer unprecedented digital services to large-scale professional series such as hockey. For us, KHL is an important step towards international markets.”
Vitaly Kravtsov was #1 forward in covered distance during #KHLAllStar mini-tournament (3.6 miles). pic.twitter.com/Bwh2jqctjn
— KHL (@khl_eng) January 20, 2019
SportTechie Takeaway
The NHL is concurrently developing its own system, with JogMo as its primary technology partner. The NHL debuted that tracking system for select media two weeks ago in Las Vegas. But JogMo is far from alone in this burgeoning market. The Swedish SHL hired Sportlogiq last fall, and Wisehockey has now worked with both Liiga and the KHL.