NHL Opens Innovation Lab in Partnership with Verizon, New Jersey Devils

The National Hockey League (NHL), in partnership with Verizon and the New Jersey Devils, today announced the opening of the NHL Innovation Lab powered by Verizon, a simulated arena environment that will help the League office and its technology partners create, develop and enhance tools for use by venue and hockey operations staff, as well as game officials, coaches and players.

Located inside Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, the NHL Innovation Lab represents the next phase of the League's technology strategy and builds on its long-standing relationship with Verizon, the Official 5G Partner of the NHL. The NHL Innovation Lab will serve as a centralized space to explore practical applications of emerging technologies that support on-ice performance, game operations and fan engagement. In parallel with the development and build-out of the NHL Innovation Lab, the League will test several new initiatives in and around the Prudential Center's adjacent practice rink - the RWJBarnabas Health Hockey House.

The NHL Innovation Lab promises to accelerate the time-to-market for NHL-related technical advances. We're incredibly proud to continue investing in innovation that strengthens our game and supports its long-term growth, says Dave Lehanski, NHL Executive Vice President, Business Development and Innovation. The NHL Innovation Lab powered by Verizon is an important next chapter in our technology and innovation journey. We continue to be committed to leveraging new and emerging technology to benefit every aspect of our game, and the NHL Innovation Lab gives us the ability to test, validate and refine new technology on the ice, in real game environments, all year round right in our own backyard.

This innovation lab is the next phase of our long-standing partnership with the NHL, allowing us to push the boundaries of what's possible on the ice, in the arena, and for the fans, adds Kyle Malady, CEO, Verizon Business. By deploying Verizon's Private 5G Wireless Network and Secure Cloud Interconnect (SCI) solutions, we are providing a dedicated, high-speed, and secure technology foundation for the NHL to incubate and validate next-generation solutions. We are proud to serve as the technological partner that helps the NHL strengthen its game.

The deployment of Verizon's Private 5G Wireless Network will provide the NHL Innovation Lab with a dedicated, high speed and secure wireless infrastructure designed to enhance both game day operations and the overall fan experience. Purpose built by Verizon, the private network will enable the League to implement innovative solutions, including the enhancement of live coach to player video access on iPads for faster and secure analysis from the bench. The network will also serve as a scalable platform for future innovation, with the potential to support additional technology integrations, including secure wireless connectivity to support real-time alerts in the NHL Watch Comms app on Apple Watches worn by NHL Officials. In addition, the network provides a strong and flexible foundation for expanded media capture workflows. The Verizon private network will also function as a secure express lane for critical data, including near real-time statistics and analytics, helping deliver consistent performance.

The NHL Innovation Lab will also take advantage of Verizon's Secure Cloud Interconnect (SCI) solution which provides a private, dedicated, high speed and secure cloud networking infrastructure, designed to support reliable connectivity to critical applications and strengthen both game day operations and the overall fan experience. The increased bandwidth and reduced latency will allow the NHL to test and validate next-generation technologies, including advanced media workflows developed with Sony technology to capture and utilize 4K and 8K content at scale. The NHL Innovation Lab will feature a Sony Crystal LED direct view display measuring 144 x 81 with an 2880px x 1620px resolution, and BRAVIA XR 75 Class Z9K 8K HDR Mini LED TV, with Sony Hawk-Eye installed throughout the practice rink, complementing the standard Sony broadcast and production equipment already deployed in the arena. Built on a modern, high-performance technology foundation, the NHL Innovation Lab will support near real-time applications, artificial intelligence and machine training and deployments and modern virtualization optimization. Testing at this scale helps futureproof the NHL, designed to help the network infrastructure meet rapidly growing data demands and evolving performance requirements.

With the opening of the NHL Innovation Lab powered by Verizon, the League becomes the first U.S. professional sports league to establish a dedicated facility focused on testing, validating and incubating technology in a simulated arena environment. The NHL Innovation Lab underscores the NHL's commitment to innovation that delivers practical, scalable solutions for the game today while preparing for tomorrow.

LINK:	https://www.sportsvideo.org/2026/04/06/nhl-opens-innovation-lab-in-par...
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