San Jose Shark hockey fans will be watching their team’s home games in a way no other fan can speak of. The experience promises to be quite unique and comes complete with, shall we say – a little kicker. No, we’re not talking about a coupon from a fast food chain or a free calendar at your participating grocer. Ask anyone who knows what it sounds, looks and feels like to be checked into the boards by a 220 pound left wing and they’ll give you some insight into what this very special value add is.
Thanks to some innovative thinking by the marketing brass at Comcast SportsNet Bay Area and the folks at The Guitammer Company (OTCQB: GTMM), the partnership plans to implement a cutting-edge broadcast technology which is sure to boost the action for die hard hockey fans and coach potatoes alike.
The technology is termed “4D Sports” and uses sensors placed on the boards at SAP Center in San Jose to capture and distribute the impact of NHL hits during Sharks home games to the home. The couch in your living room is transformed into a new sensory experience. The technology debuted during the recent Florida Panthers-Sharks game.
David Koppett, senior executive producer, live events, Comcast SportsNet California said, “We thought, ‘Hey, this could be an interesting and unique experience for fans.’ This is something they couldn’t get anywhere else. We’re in Silicon Valley, home of innovative tech, and Sharks fans are especially interested in things like this and are very tech-savvy.”
To enjoy the 4D Sports experience fans need to buy a wireless ButtKicker Kit at www.shakemycouch.com or another retailer. After placing the device under one of the legs of your coach, the technology behaves like a silent subwoofer as it picks up a signal transmitted through the broadcast via CSN California’s signal. The experience feels as though your coach has turned into giant PlayStation controller that vibrates simultaneously with the physical action on the screen.
Seventy-six sensors have been connected to panels around the SAP Center rink which capture the impact of players slamming and pounding into the boards. The information is converted into a new patented stream added to CSN Bay Area’s broadcast. This stream is converted to a signal received by the device under the furniture.
Guitammer President and Chief Executive Officer Mark Luden said, “We’re hoping to be keeping that data digital. We’re managing each sensor individually. When we can run digital all the way to the set-top box it will make the workflow easier and open up the opportunity for the network to monetize that separately if they decide they want to.”
David Koppett added, “I think it’s exciting and there are a lot of potentialities here,” says Koppett. “The possibility of having an encoded signal through the set-top box to react to the action on-screen is intriguing. That could make it a lot more active. Every league is getting involved with player and puck tracking now, so imagine how those things could work together. We’re just at the start of the potential could be.”
For more information on the company visit www.guitammer.com
