NHL and Sphero Technologies announced today that they have signed a Letter of Intent to form a joint venture to bring the Liquid Spheres technology to the marketplace.
The two companies, with a combined revenue of $4.8 billion, will combine their expertise in advanced technologies that allow liquid-water immersion into any shape, size and temperature.
Sphero will be developing a new liquid-pressure and flow-control technology, which will allow players to simulate their favorite sports with their favorite teams, such as the New York Rangers or the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Spor, a leader with advanced technologies for water immersion, is developing an innovative system that enables players to “think” about the flow of water in the real world.
In the future, Spor hopes to offer advanced liquid-flow technology to players in all sports, as well as in a variety of applications, such, for example, to help the development of personalized sports equipment.
“The partnership with Sphero is a natural fit, given our shared interest in developing innovative technology for the real-world environment and our shared passion for innovation,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said.
“Sphero has built a strong relationship with the NHL and our fans through its sponsorship of the NHL All-Star Classic and other championships.
The collaboration with Sprocket will allow us to continue to deliver innovative technologies for players and fans.”
The NHL will develop the technology to be used in future NHL and NHL All Star Game broadcasts, as a feature of the 2017 All-Rookie Team, as an NHL app and to be part of the 2018 NHL All Stars Game.
The league has been working with Spor for many years to develop a system that will allow athletes to perform their favorite moves in a virtual environment.
“The innovation and technology in our sport has always been focused on the player and the fan.
Sprocket’s technology is uniquely suited to provide a new type of immersion that is truly unique and truly immersive,” said Jim Gorman, vice president of marketing and innovation at Sphero.
“Players have the ultimate in immersion, which is what they value most.
We’re excited to bring this exciting new product to the NHL, and we are looking forward to partnering with the league and their fans for many more years to come.”
Sphero and NHL signed an agreement in May 2016 to begin developing the technology.
The partnership will provide Sphero with access to NHL and other teams’ proprietary technology and will help create the first fully integrated player-controlled VR-based technology.
This technology will be used on NHL.com, NHL.tv, NHL mobile and NHL mobile apps.
“We are excited to work with NHL on this innovative product and are committed to building partnerships with the best companies in the world,” said Jeff Pang, Sphero’s CEO.
“I am honored to join the NHL with such a great team and a fantastic technology partner.
Together, we will bring an entirely new type and dimension of immersive entertainment to hockey fans across the globe.”
For more information about Sphero, go to www.sphero.com.