Nine months ago, The Sphere in Las Vegas redefined entertainment with cutting-edge venue technology, providing music fans with a unique multi-sensory experience. Now, his technological marvels are poised to have a major impact on the sports industry.
The NHL held its 2024 draft at the $2.3 billion venue last weekend, making it the first major sporting event to be held entirely at the venue. Traditionally a low-key event due to the developmental nature of many of the draft selections, this year's draft marked the first Sphere event to be broadcast live on television. ESPN's coverage marks a big shift from previous concerts featuring U2, Phish and Dead & Company, which were primarily in-person experiences, albeit widely covered in the media and shared on social.
“This is our biggest canvas ever,” NHL chief content officer Steve Mayer said of the Sphere's 160,000-square-foot interior screen and the 580,000-square-foot “Exosphere” on the building's exterior. “There's no question that there will be some moments that will capture attention and be talked about around the world. The aim was to make everything associated with this draft look as big and dramatic as possible. Of course, this is going to look nothing like a normal draft.”
Mayer attended the inaugural Sphere event, a U2 concert last September that marked the start of 40 permanent shows by the Irish rock band. The concert inspired Mayer to think about bringing the NHL to the innovative venue. The UFC was the first sports organization to hold an event at the Sphere, with fights scheduled for September, but the NHL got a head start with the draft.
To produce the venue's content, the NHL worked closely with California-based Sphere Studios, a division of New York Knicks and Rangers owner James Dolan's Sphere Entertainment company. Unlike the meticulously planned sequences of a Sphere concert, Mayer and the NHL had to prepare for the unpredictability of a live sporting event, even one as organized as the draft.
“We've all been learning together about how to make the Sphere work as a sports venue,” Meyer said. “It's a whole different world and we have to be prepared for every eventuality.”
In addition to programming video and graphics for both the indoor screens and the exosphere, the NHL utilized Aura, the sphere's artificial intelligence-equipped “humanoid robot,” to introduce top draft prospects as they arrived at the venue.
Sphere combined advanced technology with live sports to deliver a groundbreaking event that sets a new standard for future sporting events. The collaboration highlights the evolving relationship between sports and technology, showcasing innovative ways to engage audiences and enhance the viewing experience.
