MESA, Ariz.—In a notable example of how networks are looking to provide interactive experiences in live sports broadcasts to boost engagement and ad revenue, mobile gaming tech provider Aquimo is working with Canada’s Sportsnet to offer fans a new interactive mobile gaming experience during NHL telecasts.

Sportsnet Slap Shot Showdown, a custom mobile game developed by Aquimo, is being used as part of Sportsnet’s “Hockey Night in Canada” NHL telecasts. It gives fans a chance to compete in real-time multiplayer challenges and a monthlong contest to win exclusive prizes, including a 2025 Hyundai Kona.

This collaboration marks Aquimo’s first television broadcast partnership in Canada.

Using Aquimo’s technology platform, Sportsnet Slap Shot Showdown allows fans to engage with live hockey broadcasts while watching their favorite teams compete on the ice. Aquimo’s mobile tech platform enables millions of fans to play together in real time in ways that integrate branded experiences into live broadcasts.

For broadcasters like SportsNet, Aquimo’s platform provides tools to boost audience retention, foster loyalty, and create measurable value for brand sponsors through a second screen experience, Aquimo reported.

“We’re proud to be working with Sportsnet to bring this unique activation to life and give Canadian hockey fans an exciting new way to engage with the game they love—one that creates a dynamic and immersive connection with the action both on and off the ice,” said Mark Jeffery, founder and CEO of Aquimo. “This collaboration underscores the power of interactive mobile gaming to transform live sports broadcasts, and our ability to create meaningful engagement for fans while providing a new form of measurable value for broadcasters, their sponsors and partners.”

The game will throughout the month of December.

“Our collaboration with Aquimo and the launch of Sportsnet Slap Shot Showdown represents an innovative step forward in how we engage our audience and marketers,” Sportsnet vice president of sales Anthony Attard said. “By incorporating Aquimo’s interactive gaming technology into our broadcasts, we’re not only enhancing the fan experience, but also giving our partners a new and exciting platform to connect with fans in a meaningful and memorable way.”

To play the Sportsnet Slap Shot Showdown visit rtvsn.live.

To learn more about Aquimo, visit aquimo.com.

TORONTO—The new Sportsnet Studios here has deployed two Calrec Artemis consoles with AoIP ImPulse cores and Gateway technology as integral parts of the facility’s audio workflow and the audio centerpieces of every NHL on Sportsnet broadcast, including “Hockey Central” pre-game shows.

The new studios for Sportsnet, part of Rogers Sports and Media (RSM), reside in two distinct areas—Studio 31 and Studio 32. Both are SDI-based with conversion to IP at the edge. Their setup includes virtual reality sets, augmented reality, 22 set monitors, a 50-foot curved LED wall, 13 cameras, two IP-based production control rooms and the Calrec consoles.

“We are familiar with Calrec from our first Calrec console installed at Rogers Sports and Media some years ago. We started down the SMPTE 2210 IP path back in 2017, and these innovative new sports studios were the logical next step,” said Jim Morrison, strategic advisor, media/senior media architect at RSM. “From a technical standpoint, Calrec supports AoIP very well, which fits within our media over IP strategy. Using Calrec stage boxes provides full flexibility when working in the non-IP environment as well.”

The two Artemis consoles and ImPulse cores are spread across three separate buildings and over multiple floors. There are two audio control rooms and several Calrec stage boxes deployed between the two studios. Each audio room has its own signal breakout from AES, DANTE (used for intercom) and analog signals. Each room is also integrated with the existing Calrec console and studio boxes, used elsewhere in the facility, via a Calrec H2-IP Gateway.

“The advantage of IP is flexibility. IP allows all facilities to have a common core and common distribution mechanism for essence streams, with all deployed based on industry best practices and standards. We know the systems we have implemented have more capacity than we have yet taken advantage of,” said Morrison.

Calrec’s Canadian partner SC Media, which Morrison described as being “extremely supportive…from day one” played a pivotal role in the project.

More information is available on the Calrec website.

TORONTO—Sportsnet has partnered with OTT tech providers Deltatre and Firstlight Media to relaunch its Canadian sports streaming service SN Now with improved features and experiences for sports fans. 

Sportsnet will unveil the first phase of the all-new SN Now this fall with additional development phases planned going forward. 

Working with those tech providers, Sportsnet will redesign SN Now with a suite of integrated next-generation OTT features and a refreshed user interface, powered by Microsoft Azure. Phased in enhancements will include greater stream quality and reliability, personalized content offerings, advanced stats overlays, and other innovative features to drive the ultimate sports viewing experience.  

“Sportsnet was the first mainstream sports brand in North America to launch a direct-to-consumer streaming service, offering our premium content and the most innovative distribution right from the start,” said Bart Yabsley, president, Sportsnet, which is owned by Rogers Media and Sports. “Our new partnerships with Deltatre and Firstlight Media will help make Canada’s best sports streaming product even better. The all-new SN Now will engage our fans with more games, the latest technological innovations, more exclusive content, and a personalized experience on the most reliable platform available anywhere in the world.”

Alfredo Tan, senior vice president of strategy, data and products at Rogers Sports & Media added that “as the pace of change continues to accelerate, building the future can’t be done alone. These partnerships are just some of many ways Sportsnet is continuing to foster innovation to lead sports and media into the future.”  

Firstlight Media will build the technology foundation for the new SN Now, using its cloud-native technology stack that powers an end-to-end platform that has been deployed by Tier 1 operators and content providers worldwide.

“Sportsnet is way out in front in showing how a visionary approach to technology can turbocharge engagement between sports’ most storied properties and their dedicated fan bases,” said Andre Christensen, CEO and co-founder of Firstlight Media. “We’re delighted to provide the technology foundation that will power SN Now’s journey from raw ideation to unmatched reality, and to engage Sportsnet viewers with unparalleled, immersive experiences.”

Deltatre, a sports and entertainment technology provider, will provide the front-end user experience of SN Now, Sportsnet will use Deltatre's streaming technology and experience integrating the world's leading third-party partners and solutions, and its expertise in powering platforms such as WWE Network and NFL Game Pass.

“We are delighted to partner with Sportsnet to rebuild and relaunch SN Now,” said Alex Drosin, head of worldwide business development, video experiences, Deltatre. We believe our experience and expertise in creating and running some of the most high-profile streaming services across global sport, as well as the opportunity to collaborate with a market-leading international provider in Firstlight Media, will enable Sportsnet to offer a game-changing OTT experience to Canadian sports fans across every major platform.”

In addition to enhancing the platform’s back-end technology and user-facing experience, the new and improved SN NOW cloud-native streaming platform is fully built on Microsoft Azure and Firstlight Media's microservices architecture.

Kevin Peesker, president, Microsoft Canada added: “With Microsoft Azure cloud capabilities, Sportsnet will have unparalleled access to high availability, scalability, agility, and disaster recovery to help ensure Canadian sports fans don’t miss any of the action.” 

TORONTO—Are you ready for some 4K sports action? Rogers Communications and Sportsnet recently announced that they will deliver more than 100 live 4K sports broadcasts during 2017, including games of the Toronto Blue Jays, the Toronto Raptors and the Toronto Maple Leafs. In addition, Rogers has introduced its NetBox 4K PVR, a new system that allows customers to record up to eight 4K programs at one time and store up to 90 hours of 4K content.

For the second straight year, Rogers will offer 4K broadcast of all 81 regular season Blue Jays home games on Sportsnet. Sportsnet will also carry the 4K broadcast of the Toronto Maple Leafs game against the Detroit Red Wings on New Year’s Day as part of the NHL Centennial Classic outdoor game. Six more games will be broadcast throughout the remainder of the season, primarily on Sportsnet ONE. Also starting in January, the Toronto Raptors will have 14 games broadcast in 4K on Sportsnet ONE.

Sportsnet 4K feeds are available to cable, satellite and IPTV providers across Canada. In addition, Rogers plans to continue to make investments to its TV platform to improve stability, upgrade its mobile apps and enhance NextBox.

All games are schedule to change, visit sportsnet.ca/schedule for any updates.