Pro Hockey’s NY Rangers Turn On Digital Signage Network

August 13, 2012 by Dave Haynes

Many years of doing this has exposed me to digital signage being used in endless ways, but I have never seen it applied as a tool to herd pro athletes.

Pro hockey’s New York Rangers are using digital screens at its Madison Square Garden Training Center in Tarrytown, NY to communicate with the players.

The Rangers, says a new project paper, approached Hyannis, MA-based Savant Systems, asking for a simpler, dynamic and user-generated means to alert players and staff of key messages and statistical information related to the team’s daily schedule and activities. Team management also wanted the ability to have team members play their own music throughout the weight and locker room facilities with immediate ease.

Savant has an Apple-based commercial control and home automation system called TrueControl that lets management and players who have access to the system control all of the audio, video, lighting, security, climate, messaging and any other subsystem or technology using an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad.

It also controls 12 screens located around the facility that tells players when they have to get to the team bus, and provides team updates or other pertinent information.

“The Savant control and automation system has been a refreshing addition to the NY Ranger’s practice facility. The dynamic way they the coaching staff and team management can now send messages to the players through 12 TVs in the facility has improved communication and efficiencies. Savant’s iPad control screens are extremely responsive and very easy to use,” says Rangers GM Glen Sather, who I never expected to quote in this blog.

The silly, teeny tiny RSS feed for standings and ticker are not exactly shining examples of how to do this stuff, but the application itself is innovative. You could see the notification thing working well for things like hotels that have airport shuttle buses or a lot of tour bus trade. Do the notification full screen so it would actually get noticed, and you have something.

 

 

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