JOHNS ISLAND, SC – Technology has increasingly changed the way fans follow their teams and just as importantly how hockey leagues manage the day to day activities required to administer the fastest game in the world.
The Southern Professional Hockey League and its counterparts throughout pro hockey have turned to technology and supporting software to manage the variety of scheduling, record keeping, publicity and game administration activities required to manage a hockey league. While the SPHL is not unique in the use of technology, it serves as an example of how the flow of information, access by fans and league administration has changed.
Not long ago, fans were completely dependent on news releases from local teams and the media for information, background and updates on the day- to-day developments on the teams and players they chose to follow. Times have changed. The internet, technology and a plethora of sports software applications have dramatically changed the visibility and flow of information in professional sports.
Doug Price was hired earlier this summer by the SPHL as Vice President for Hockey Operations. He was brought on board in part, by the SPHL’s Board of Governors and Commissioner Jim Combs, to ensure the SPHL increases and leverages the use of technology. While he has other operational responsibilities, he was initially asked to concentrate on this area.
Shortly after assuming his new role, Price increased the use and hits on the SPHL’s web site by making more frequent updates of content. In turn this caused users to access the site more frequently. He then helped launch the SPHL’s Facebook page and the use of Twitter as ways of providing instant information to fans. The use of these two social networks and the reinvigorated web site are a vital part of a broad effort by the league to keep the SPHL visible to its fan base. Large numbers of fans joined both the Facebook and Twitter sites within a few days of their launch and the number of friends and fans of the SPHL on both sites continues to grow rapidly.
The use of technology is also more broadly used than just providing information. For example, the SPHL uses B-2 Networks, an in-arena broadcasting service, to provide live video and play by play coverage of almost every SPHL game on the schedule via the internet. For a relatively small fee, any fan can access his home team’s game no matter where the fan is located or the game is being played. The use of the internet as a broadcast vehicle is most likely the start of a fundamental change in how fans watch game broadcasts. Internet broadcasts of hundreds of games in various sports at all levels is rapidly growing through the service provided by B-2 Networks and other internet broadcasters. The SPHL jumped in on the ground floor a few seasons ago and again the number of users is growing
Another league partner, Pointstreak.com, provides web hosting services and software applications to various league officials, fans and the media. Poinstreak provides real time information on team schedules, games in progress, live box scores, player transactions and standings as well as a wealth of statistics on the league, member teams and its players. Almost all of the information a fan can imagine is available on-line with a few clicks of the mouse.
Interestingly, the use of technology is also important behind the scenes . Not too long ago, becoming an on ice official required skating ability, judgment and knowledge of the rule book. While those elements are important, current day officials must also possess a couple of other requirements including being computer literate and having an email address.
Technology now assists the league in the selection, supervision and management of the SPHL’s cadre of on-ice officials. Previously, the person responsible for assigning game officials for the SPHL faced an enormous paper and time intensive task. Each game official had to be contacted by telephone to confirm games. Cancellations or schedule changes required the scheduler to scramble to find replacements. Game reports, evaluations, tax information and fee payments schedules all required use of the postal and telephone systems.
That was then. Technology which has been so important in publicity as well as the development of players, game strategies and scouting has also perhaps more quietly revolutionized the way on-ice officials are managed.
There are a number of software packages on the market that provide the technological support that helps the administrators who manage the on-ice officials throughout professional and junior league hockey.
The SPHL uses Ref ‘R’ Ranger, a software application developed specifically for management of the officiating staffs used by ice hockey leagues. Like Pointstreak, it is a combination of a hosted web site and software application that league administrators use on a fee basis. It allows officials to show open dates, schedulers to schedule games, notify the affected individuals as well as managing the overall process of paying game fees, travel reimbursements, keeping track of tax requirements and documents and submitting evaluations on the performance of the on-ice officials.
Thus, like so many other aspects of the world the internet, the computer, the internet and dedicated software is changing the way fans watch and are informed and how administrators manage the world’s fastest game.
Contact the author at Phil.Brand@prohockeynews.com
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