VS. wants to bring back the glowing puck

[BillsSabresB.C.T. Fan]

The NHL and cable TV partner Versus are talking about introducing "puck-tracking" technology as early as the 2008-09 season, executives from the network and the league told USA TODAY.
Tracking would make it easier for TV viewers to follow the fast-moving puck. But the idea brought back memories of Fox's "glowing puck" experiment from 1996-98. It got mixed reviews, with some players and coaches complaining the internal electronics of the "FoxTrax" puck made it play differently. When ABC picked up the NHL's broadcast rights in 1998, the idea was junked.

MORE INFO: Wikipedia summary of "FoxTrax"

Marty Ehrlich, executive producer at Versus, has been pushing for a new puck-tracking system with NHL executives. If Versus gets the OK, it would test puck tracking on its studio show before trying it during a game, he says. There would not be any computer chips embedded in pucks, at least at first.

"We're looking to track the evolution of a play," says Ehrlich. While puck tracking is on his "wish list," he admits it's still a "sore subject" with hockey purists. "There's people who looked at it as a great success at Fox. A lot looked at it as a dismal failure."

Marc Fein, Versus' senior vice president of programming, says puck tracking could be a great tool to trace the pinpoint passing of NHL stars. "You could see how they thread the needle," he says. NBC and other networks employ tracking technology to trace the flight of shots on golf telecasts. The Golf Channel, Versus' sister Comcast network, recently won its first Sports Emmy for its AimPoint technology, which predicts the break of a putt, Fein notes.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/mccarthy/2008-05-11-McCarthy_N.htm

[RockStar36]

:ill:

[JD]

Maybe a faint black streak so people unfamiliar with hockey could follow the game easier, but something colorful would be ****ing ******ed.

BRING BACK THE FOX ROBOTS!

[BlackMetalNinja]

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[RockStar36]

That Fox Trax this was ******ed. I'm sorry, but if you can't follow the puck during a hockey game go watch another sport. It really isn't that hard. I watch Sabres games on a 25in tv and I follow everything just fine.

[BlackMetalNinja]

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[JD]

Its not that bad, really

[LtFinFan66]

Maybe a faint black streak so people unfamiliar with hockey could follow the game easier, but something colorful would be ****ing ******ed.

BRING BACK THE FOX ROBOTS!What does being unfamiliar with hockey have to do with anything? It can still be hard to follow the puck regardless. I do agree though that anything too colorful would not be good

[JD]

What does being unfamiliar with hockey have to do with anything? It can still be hard to follow the puck regardless. I do agree though that anything too colorful would not be good
Wouldn't you think that someone unfamiliar with the sport would wonder why the **** they were passing back and forth? (i.e. a powerplay) I'd think they would assume the puck would be going towards the net every time. I don't think its hard to follow the puck at all.

[LtFinFan66]

But does that have anything to do with the tracker? Wondering why they are passing it back and forth? Just asking

[Philagape]

Golf shot tracking is done for replays and analysis. Tennis does it too. Obviously there'd be nothing wrong with that. But I will never, ever watch a game where it's done live. I'll set up a Slingbox for CBC before that.

[LABillsFan]

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO. In case I didn't make myself clear. NO NO NO NO NO.

[OpIv37]

if they do it, they have to tone it down from the old Foxtraxx thing- that **** was just obnoxious after a while.

But here's a better idea: if VS had better friggin video coverage, we wouldn't NEED puck tracking. Don't stay with the camera angle when four guys are fighting for the puck along the near wall.

[LABillsFan]

Why not just change the puck color to Fusia while they're at it.

[Crisis]

the only problem i have following the puck is when the camera man cant follow the ****ing play and the puck isnt even in his LOS

[LABillsFan]

I dont' know most fans have been watching for years,

Tip 1. When 2-4 guys are converging at one point along the wall, it generally means they're going after the puck so look for it.

Tip 2. It really doesn't bounce, and players use sticks, also it's not kicked from a tee. Chances are (call me crazy) it's on the ice.

Tip 3. It's the black thing on the white ice, that doesn't stand on 2 legs and it's shape is round.

Tip 4. Something traveling 60-100 mpr isn't all that easy to follow unless its a White Ford Bronco. But if you watch a player swing his stick, it means that the puck will travel in the direction he is swinging.

[Dude]

Maybe Tiger Woods needs to start playing hockey. Following a golf shot (except putts) on live TV is difficult, yet tons of people tune in when he's playing.

Following a puck is not that hard.

[BlackMetalNinja]

Hell, if my wife can follow hockey, I don't understandy why anybody really needs this crap to be able to do the same?

[RockStar36]

I personally think it's an insult to real hockey fans

[Philagape]

Vs. can make the puck easier to see by not putting interview screens over a quarter of the screen during play.

[Michael82]

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:rofl: Who thought that would be a good idea?

[JD]

Those robots are ******ed, I'm talking about the bigger ones that appeared before commercials etc

[LABillsFan]

I got to meet one of the people who worked for Fox and had a hand in the puck trail FX. I politely questioned, well it wasn't all that polite, why and that it cheapened the game, yadda yadda yadda. He got so steamed, like he had been hearing it all day type of steamed, and then exploded saying " Why don't you go and watch it in Canada". I just started cracking up, which made the situation even worse, but couldn't stop.

[hydro]

I remember it being nice when I was at my grandmothers house on a 19 inch TV. But that was in the late 90's with no HDTV. With the TV technology these days, if you can't see the puck or can't keep up with where it should be you just aren't trying hard enough.

[BillsSabresB.C.T. Fan]

The NHL on Fox was a disgrace even worse than VS. though they did one game in 1995-1996 season Buffalo VS. Boston with Rick Jeanneret as the play-by-play because the original play-by-play guy who was scheduled to announce the game had gotten sick. This was before RJ was on TV. RJ was still doing play-by-play on WGR and John Gurtler was the TV play-by-play guy with Jim Lorentz.

[lordofgun]

I like it. :up: