NHl Big City greens classic 2
01.
Following the initial success of the NHL Big City Greens Classic in 2023, ESPN sought to elevate the second iteration of this alternate broadcast. .The goal of The Big City Greens Classic 2 is to become the first animated telecast that truly realizes the potential of both optical tracking data and rich integrated storytelling utilizing Disney IP. The technical objective was for the broadcast to have the most advanced data tracking to date, visualizing the action from any angle with unprecedented detail, and also fully weaving numerous Big City Greens characters and NHL stars into the telecast.
Objective
02.
Beyond Sports, alongside the NHL and ESPN, brought the Big City Green characters to life during the ‘NHL Big City Green Classic 2’, providing more technological advances and in-game surprises for viewers. The broadcast showcased the highest NHL data quality to date, by blending two types of tracking technologies – NHL EDGE positional data (NHL Puck and Player tracking) and Hawk-Eye Innovations optical tracking. This resulted in more dynamic player and character movement to help fans better visualize detailed limb and stick movement and mannerisms.
The broadcast was the first with a fleshed out storyline, featuring Big City Greens characters for in-between periods; animated more characters to feature during the show; and put together more animations that explain hockey to casual fans.For the first time ever, the announcers were truly immersed in the environment and called the game wearing Meta VR headsets with our virtual commentator technology. This allowed the casters to be placed anywhere in the virtual environment showing highlights from the game in a fun and unique way.
The solution
03.
Impact
The NHL Big City Greens Classic 2 exceeded the success of the first edition, with an increase of viewers across all broadcasting platforms. It was also a hit on social media, with 25M+ total impressions and 500k+ likes within the first 24 hours. The broadcast was groundbreaking technically, with the first ever introduction of the virtual commentator, enabling commentators to immerse in the virtual world via VR headsets and call the action directly from the virtual ice. This success culminated in a nomination for the prestigious George Wensel Technical Achievement Award at the 2025 Sports Emmys.
