NHL scores with AWS Teams in video delivery
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Joseph O'Halloran
| 11 February 2021
Aiming to bring fans closer to the ice with new viewing experiences and in-depth stats and analytics built on the cloud giant’s services, the National Hockey League (NHL) has appointed AWS as its official cloud infrastructure provider.
NHL 11Feb2021
By tapping into AWS services, the NHL say that it will be able to automate video processing and content delivery in the cloud and uses its Puck and Player Tracking (PPT) System, which runs on AWS cloud infrastructure, to capture better the details of game play for its fans, teams, and media partners.

NHL will build a video platform on AWS to aggregate video, data, and related applications into one central repository that will enable easier search and retrieval of archival video footage, give broadcasters instant access to NHL content for syndication and licensing, and facilitate the creation and delivery of new in-game analyses, predictions, and video highlights to enhance mobile, online, and broadcast experiences.

The partnership will also see the NHL will work with the Amazon Machine Learning Solutions Lab to apply AWS’s portfolio of machine learning services to game video and official NHL data – including data from the NHL’s new Puck and Player Tracking (PPT) System and from the NHL’s Hockey Information & Tracking System (HITS) real-time stats – to develop and share advanced game analytics and metrics that take fans deeper into the game.

In addition, the NHL intends to use AWS Elemental Media Services to develop and manage a cloud-based HD and 4K video content delivery system that will provide a complete view of the game to NHL officials, coaches, players, and fans. Powered by AWS, the system will encode, process, store, and transmit game footage from a series of new camera angles to provide continuous video feeds that capture plays and events outside the field of view of traditional broadcast cameras. Other AWS services used include Amazon Kinesis and machine learning services such as Amazon SageMaker.

“AWS’s state-of-the-art technology and services will provide us with capabilities to deliver analytics and insights that highlight the speed and skill of our game to drive deeper fan engagement,” said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman commenting on the partnership. “AWS is unmatched in the portfolio of cloud services that it delivers, including computer vision and machine learning, and we intend to leverage them across the board to provide advanced analysis to our teams, officials, and media partners faster than ever before. We’re thrilled to have AWS join the NHL’s family of blue-chip technology partners as we continue our focus on innovation and building the most advanced technology solutions in sports.”