NEW YORK and TORONTO, Jan. 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Hockey League (NHL) and the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) today announced a North American partnership with GoPro, the maker of the world's most versatile camera and enabler of some of today's most immersive and engaging content. The agreement is GoPro's first with a major professional sports league. As part of this unprecedented partnership, the NHL will use GoPro's innovative equipment and expertise to deliver hockey fans never-before-seen perspectives of the game and the talents of the top players in high-definition video content during national and regional game broadcasts and across the digital and social media platforms of the NHLPA, NHL and GoPro.

To mark another first, GoPro's Professional Broadcast Solution, developed in a partnership with Vislink, will deliver live HD points of view and will debut during the 2015 NHL^® All-Star Weekend, which will be held Jan. 23-25 in Columbus, Ohio. GoPro cameras worn by players will deliver real-time HD content and multiple angles and views to bring viewers even closer to the action on the ice for the 2015 Honda NHL All-Star Skills Competition™ on Saturday, Jan. 24 (7 p.m. ET on NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports). Additional GoPro points of view are anticipated for the live broadcast of the 2015 Honda NHL® All-Star Game on Sunday, Jan. 25 (5 p.m. ET on NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports).

"GoPro is the perfect partner for us in our ongoing commitment to bring hockey fans closer to the game," said Bob Chesterman, NHL Senior Vice President of Programming and Production. "As the preeminent leader in adaptable cameras, only GoPro has the technology to help us and our media partners showcase the beauty and intensity of hockey in new and deeper ways. Our partnership with GoPro will be a big win for both new and lifelong hockey fans." 

"This partnership marks a significant first step for GoPro into team sports, made possible because of NHL and NHLPA's progressive thinking," said Todd Ballard, Senior Director of Lifestyle Marketing at GoPro. "Together we will push the boundaries of video content production in hockey and provide fans of the sport with unique, immersive perspectives of the game that they've never seen before, from players and officials to in-goal and rink side."

Video content captured with GoPro cameras throughout the season, including the 2015 NHL All-Star Weekend, will offer fans an immersive experience. Game broadcasts will use the content to provide deeper layers of storytelling and to showcase the skating, stickhandling, goal scoring and netminding skills of some of the biggest names in the NHL. On-ice footage of the best players in the world is among the point-of-view GoPro content fans can expect this season.

"The use of GoPro cameras will give fans a new perspective of the extraordinary speed and skill of today's NHL players," said Mathieu Schneider, NHLPA Special Assistant to the Executive Director. "We are excited to have GoPro working with us and the NHL to show the great athleticism of our players."

As part of the agreement, GoPro is an Official Partner of the NHLPA and the NHL and will receive prominent brand exposure across the NHL's broadcast, digital and social media platforms – including NHL Network™, NHL.com, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Vine. NHL video content will be featured on some of GoPro's dedicated media channels, including the GoPro YouTube channel.

ABOUT THE NHL
The National Hockey League (NHL®), founded in 1917, consists of 30 Member Clubs, each reflecting the League's international makeup with players from more than 20 countries represented on team rosters, vying for the most cherished and historic trophy in professional sports – the Stanley Cup®. Every year the NHL entertains more than 250 million fans in-arena and through its partners on national television and radio; more than 10 million fans on its social platforms; and more than 300 million fans online at NHL.com. In Canada, the 2014-15 season marks the beginning of a landmark 12-year broadcast and multimedia agreement with Rogers Communications, which includes national rights to NHL games on all platforms in all languages. In the U.S., the NHL is in the fourth season of its 10-year agreement with NBC and NBCSN, the 10^th consecutive season both networks have served as national television partners. The NHL is committed to giving back to the community with programs including: Hockey is for Everyone™, which supports nonprofit youth hockey organizations across North America; Hockey Fights Cancer™, raising money for local and national cancer organizations; NHL Green™, which is committed to pursuing 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. The NHL received three 2014 Sports Business Awards: "Sports League of the Year," "Sports Executive of the Year" recognizing Commissioner Gary Bettman, and "Sports Event of the Year" for the 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic®. For more information, visit NHL.com.

NHL, the NHL Shield, and the NHL All-Star Game logo, NHL Network name and logo, NHL Mobile and NHL Live are trademarks of the National Hockey League.  All Rights Reserved.

ABOUT THE NHLPA
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 15 years, more than 70,000 deserving children in 32 countries have benefited from the players' donations of hockey equipment. NHLPA Goals & Dreams has donated more than $22-million to grassroots hockey programs, making it the largest program of its kind. For more information on the NHLPA, please visit www.nhlpa.com.

NHLPA, National Hockey League Players' Association and the NHLPA logo are trademarks of the NHLPA. © NHLPA.

ABOUT GOPRO, INC. (NASDAQ:GPRO)
GoPro, Inc. is transforming the way consumers capture, manage, share and enjoy meaningful life experiences. We do this by enabling people to self-capture engaging, immersive photo and video content of themselves participating in their favorite activities. Our customers include some of the world's most active and passionate people. The quality and volume of their shared GoPro content, coupled with their enthusiasm for our brand, virally drives awareness and demand for our products.

What began as an idea to help athletes self-document themselves engaged in their sport has become a widely adopted solution for people to self-document themselves engaged in their interests, whatever they may be. From extreme to mainstream, professional to consumer, GoPro has enabled the world to capture and share its passions. And in doing so the world, in turn, is helping GoPro become one of the most exciting and aspirational companies of our time.

For more information, visit www.gopro.com or connect with GoPro on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest or LinkedIn.

GOPRO, HERO, the GOPRO logo, and the GoPro Be A HERO logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of GoPro Inc. in the United States and other countries.

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SOURCE GoPro, Inc.

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