In 2021, Turner Sports and competitor, ESPN, won the rights to split coverage of National Hockey League (NHL) games. 

Turner wanted to distinguish their coverage from the competition (including NHL coverage predecessor NBC) by delivering an entertaining broadcast experience that would “enhance the game” and “make the game more fun for fans”. So, they sought an unprecedented and unconventional design inspired by the technologies emerging in the world of brand experience (live and virtual). But could a space brightly lit for TV, be dark enough for 360-degree projection mapping? 

The answer is yes! Our 360-degree design allows the NHL on TNT to take center ice at the flip of a switch.

The studio embodies fast movement and is designed to resemble a rink. Layers of light and undulating walls pull from skate lines left behind on the ice. Puck inspired textures wrap the room and slide down creating frames for two large 1.9mm LED screens. The asymmetrical anchor desk features custom LED tiles and edge lit ice shards – held in place by a stylized hockey stick – and sits atop a floating puck inspired by black ice.

Two 86” tracking monitors allow for flexible storytelling. A 45-degree crack in the wall reveals another LED standup area, and a demo area allows analysts to ‘get on the ice’ and conduct demos with an official NHL goal, Goal Cam, pucks, and hockey sticks. And all sits within the grid of a customized projection system.

Results

Our innovative studio has 28 million projected pixels, 220,000 lumens output, and 1,000+ square feet of LED tiles – pushing the boundaries on lighting and immersive visual technology.

Our designed was covered by industry press: Newscast Studio, SVG, The AV Network, and ensured Turner’s ability to stand-alone.

“…TNT gave us that moment where the Great One shot pucks at Barkley.  You would not have seen that on ESPN, nor NBC.” – awfulannouncing.com 

For its official debut, Turner’s regular season doubleheader delivered the most-watched second day of NHL coverage ever.

Rangers vs. Capitals (7:40-10:14 p.m. ET)

•                817,000 average viewers (peak 920,000)

•                139% increase vs 2020-21 comparable game

•                210% increase vs 2019-20 night-two primetime telecast 

•                Largest audience for second night of nationally televised NHL regular season game

Blackhawks vs. Avalanche (10:14p-12:53a)

•                522,000 average viewers (peak 887,000)

•                284% increase vs same telecast window night-two coverage in 2020-21