SAN MATEO, Calif. / NEW YORK / TORONTO (Jan. 26, 2016) – The National Hockey League (NHL) and the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) today announced a renewal of its partnership with GoPro, Inc. (NASDAQ:GOPRO) to deliver hockey fans a behind-the-scenes look at the game. The partnership extension will feature NHL After Dark™, an 11-part series filmed and produced by GoPro that will give hockey fans an immersive look at what happens on the ice during after-hours training sessions.
“Our goal with the NHL After Dark™ series is to transport the hockey fan directly onto the ice with an up-close and personal look at some of the NHL’s most talented players,” said Bill McCullough, executive producer at GoPro. “These world-class athletes invest much of their time honing skills behind the scenes and we’re excited to give hockey fans an exclusive look at the personalities of these players, the fun they bring to the game and their commitment to mastering their craft.”
Each episode of NHL After Dark™ will feature NHL players on the ice in training sessions with hockey luminaries Mike Murphy and Mike Johnson. The debut episode, which will launch on Wednesday, Feb. 3, will feature the dazzling stickhandling skills of Detroit Red Wings forward Tomáš Tatar as he’s put through the paces.
“The speed and skill of the players in the NHL has never been better than it is today,” said Mathieu Schneider, NHLPA Special Assistant to the Executive Director. “Our continued partnership with GoPro provides hockey fans a unique look and perspective into the incredible talent that our athletes possess.”
“We know hockey fans want a more comprehensive, personal understanding of players’ lives and their journey onto the ice each night,” said Keith Wachtel, NHL Executive Vice President of Global Partnerships. “The NHL After Dark™ series delivers not just a unique perspective on the game of hockey, but a new look into the personalities of our players. We are excited to extend the GoPro partnership and give our fans access to places they’ve never been before.”
In addition to Tatar, NHL After Dark™ will feature Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin, Colorado Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog, Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith, Philadelphia Flyers forward Claude Giroux, New Jersey Devils goaltender Cory Schneider and Vancouver Canucks forwards Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin. The series will be distributed on the GoPro Channel and the GoPro App, channels owned and powered by the NHL and the NHLPA, including the NHL Network™, and the NHL® App, YouTube, and on the social media channels of GoPro, the NHL and the NHLPA.
PROGRAMMING CALENDAR (episodes will launch at 9 a.m. ET; details and timing are subject to change):
- Tuesday, Jan. 26: NHL After Dark™ Trailer
- Wednesday, Feb. 3: Tomáš Tatar (part 1 of 2)
- Wednesday, Feb.10: Evgeni Malkin (part 1 of 2)
- Wednesday, Feb.: Gabriel Landeskog
- Friday, Feb.19: Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin (part 1 of 2)
- Wednesday, Feb. 24: Evgeni Malkin (part 2)
- Wednesday, Mar. 2: Tomáš Tatar (part 2)
- Wednesday, Mar. 9: Duncan Keith
- Wednesday, Mar. 16: Claude Giroux (part 1 of 2)
- Wednesday, Mar. 23: Cory Schneider
- Friday, Mar. 25: Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin (part 2)
- Wednesday, Mar. 30: Claude Giroux (part 2)
For more information on this partnership and to view the trailer for NHL After Dark™, visit the GoPro news blog, The Inside Line.
About the NHL
The National Hockey League (NHL®), founded in 1917, consists of 30 Member Clubs, with players from more than 20 countries represented across team rosters, competing for the most revered trophy in professional sports – the Stanley Cup®. Each year, the NHL entertains hundreds of millions of fans around the world. The League broadcasts games in more than 160 countries and territories through its rightsholders including NBC/NBCSN in the U.S., Sportsnet and TVA in Canada, and Viasat in the Nordic Region. The NHL reaches fans worldwide with games available online in every country including via its live and on-demand streaming service NHL GameCenter LIVE™. Fans are engaged across the League’s digital assets on mobile devices via the free NHL app; across nine social media platforms; on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio™, and on NHL.com, available in eight languages and featuring an enhanced statistics platform powered by SAP, providing the definitive destination for hockey analytics. A historic media rights partnership between the NHL and MLBAM will transform the fan experience across the League’s digital and broadcast assets, with an emphasis on deeper access into the game and enhanced storytelling. To celebrate the NHL’s international diversity, the World Cup of Hockey will return in September, 2016, a best-on-best international tournament featuring eight teams comprised of the world’s best hockey players. On Founder’s Day in November 2017, the League will be celebrating its Centennial anniversary, commemorating 100 years of NHL hockey. The NHL is committed to giving back to the community through programs including: Hockey is for Everyone™ which supports nonprofit youth hockey organizations across North America; Hockey Fights Cancer™ which raises money and awareness for hockey's most important fight; NHL Green™ which is committed to the pursuit of sustainable business practices; and a partnership with the You Can Play Project, which is committed to supporting the LGBT community and fighting homophobia in sports. For more information, visit NHL.com.
About the National Hockey League Players’ Association
The National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA), established in 1967, is a labour organization whose members are the players in the National Hockey League (NHL). The NHLPA works on behalf of the players in varied disciplines such as labour relations, product licensing, marketing, international hockey and community relations, all in furtherance of its efforts to promote its members and the game of hockey. In 1999, the NHLPA launched the Goals & Dreams fund as a way for the players to give something back to the game they love. Over the past 16 years, more than 70,000 deserving children in 34 countries have benefited from the players' donations of hockey equipment. NHLPA Goals & Dreams has donated more than $23-million to grassroots hockey programs, making it the largest program of its kind. For more information on the NHLPA, please visit www.nhlpa.com.
About GoPro, Inc. (NASDAQ: GPRO):
GoPro, Inc. is transforming the way people visually capture and share their lives. What began as an idea to help athletes self-document themselves engaged in their sport, GoPro has become a standard for how people capture themselves engaged in their interests, whatever they may be. From extreme to mainstream, professional to consumer, GoPro enables the world to capture and share its passion in the form of immersive and engaging content. GOPRO® and HERO® are trademarks or registered trademarks of GoPro Inc. in the United States and other countries. For more information, visit www.gopro.com or connect with GoPro on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and LinkedIn.
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