The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum / How They Ensure You See Different Ads On The Boards During NHL Games

**Posted by RadioActive** January 21, 2025 7:00 am

The ads you see on the boards along an NHL rink are very different than what you see on TV. Most viewers already know that, but how do they do it? It's all a bit of technical trickery done in real time.

"It starts with a worker beneath the stands who calibrates the center ice camera with the boards to make sure the ads will fit properly.

"They communicate with the TV truck as well," Bellows said. "That's the technology pushed out to our fans watching the game... The camera angles that have the digital dasher board advertising are the ones here at center ice."

That means if the broadcast switches to a different camera angle, like behind the glass, those watching on TV will see the same logos that fans see in the arena."

Why are dasher board ads at NHL games different on TV from in-person?

**Posted by Forward Power** January 21, 2025 7:33 am

Living in Senators territory, we also sometimes see, on the Sens' regional broadcasts on TSN 5, electronically-inserted ads on the ice just inside each team's blue line, as well as on the glass above each net. Again, that's only on the main centre ice camera shot.

**Posted by SpinningWheel** January 21, 2025 12:20 pm

Forward Power wrote:
Living in Senators territory, we also sometimes see, on the Sens' regional broadcasts on TSN 5, electronically-inserted ads on the ice just inside each team's blue line, as well as on the glass above each net. Again, that's only on the main centre ice camera shot.

The virtual on ice ads are clever. They're given a finish to blend with the surrounding ice, which changes as it gets skated on and then resets after the Zamboni during the break. They had me fooled at first but then I noticed that an ad supposedly painted under the ice was changing. They don't do moving ones for the on ice ads. Probably too distracting for the TV audience like the old Fox Sports streaking puck was!

**Posted by Easily Amused** January 21, 2025 12:20 pm

Similar to years ago, watching NFL games on a Canadian channel, and wondering how Pizza Pizza could afford a big ad beneath the scoreboard display at Mile High Stadium in Denver Colorado. 🤔😁

**Posted by RadioActive** January 21, 2025 12:36 pm

They do the same thing for the space behind home plate in baseball. Keeps changing all the time and not what people in the stadium see.