Virtual Ads on the Glass

[DeathToAllButMetal]

Anybody else find these incredibly distracting? I see them more and more in US games this season, but thankfully none of the Canadian teams have embraced them yet. They just drive me crazy, to the point where I can't watch the games because my eye is constantly drawn to the ads over the nets when trying to watch plays in and around the slot. The board ads just blend into the background, but these abominations are front and center right on top of the play in either end.

Didn't see a thread on this, though, so maybe nobody else is bothered. As much as I hate the idea of ads on sweaters, if given the choice, I'd take those over glass ads.

Click to read more...

 

[maroon 6]

Vancouver just got these and its already pissing me off...

 

[danishh]

ottawa's had them for almost 2 seasons now (with select broadcasters) and i couldnt care less.

Maybe i'm just too focused watching the game.

 

[TheStranger]

I think they should go back to the coloured tail on the puck so you can see it...and then just make the entire ice surface an ever changing billboard.

Of course, this would be coupled with the regular board ads and the new glass ads as well.

Commentators?? No, pitch men!

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Incredibly distracting. The only thing worse are the backlit board ads.


Then again I'm a fan of a team that doesn't use them, thankfully, so when I do see them they just steal my attention too often.

 

[Killion]

Really crosses' the line from complimenting to distracting when watching huh?. Frankly, I have a real problem with rink board, on-ice & in-stadia advertising period but thats another story. They should move all of it to the main scoreboard & wall mounted LED's throughout the buildings, run holographics etc pre-game & in-between periods at rink level instead of this nonsense of being right "in-your face" be you watching on TV or at the game live...

 

[AllByDesign]

Anybody else find these incredibly distracting? I see them more and more in US games this season, but thankfully none of the Canadian teams have embraced them yet. They just drive me crazy, to the point where I can't watch the games because my eye is constantly drawn to the ads over the nets when trying to watch plays in and around the slot. The board ads just blend into the background, but these abominations are front and center right on top of the play in either end.

Didn't see a thread on this, though, so maybe nobody else is bothered. As much as I hate the idea of ads on sweaters, if given the choice, I'd take those over glass ads.

Yaaay.. they work.

 

[jkrdevil]

I found I was drawn to them when they first appeared a few seasons ago because it was new and different. Now I'm used to it and they go back to being in the background.

 

[Rink Rage]

They were distracting at first, but I've gotten used to them.

 

[LadyStanley]

Psst. You might want to search the BOH forum for the previous incarnations of this thread.

 

[Buck Aki Berg]

They don't really bother me, but I do find them tacky.

For superimposed ads, I like how MLB does it with the green screen behind home plate. I'd prefer that the league do something like that along the boards than superimposing awful graphics over the glass.

 

[Ruckus007]

They don't really bother me, but I do find them tacky.

For superimposed ads, I like how MLB does it with the green screen behind home plate. I'd prefer that the league do something like that along the boards than superimposing awful graphics over the glass.

But that would then be board ad space that isn't being sold. I think the point of these things is to stick as many ads into the TV experience as possible; not replace ones that are already there.

 

[Inker]

A bit distracting at first, but I got used to them pretty quick. No different than board ads.

 

[Awesome Sauce]

They were very distracting and jarring when the Canucks started using them out of nowhere last week. On the first game, they were using one ad which had a very bright solid coloured background and it was honestly so distracting that my eyes went to it every time the play was on that end. But since then, they have only used text ads with no background and it has been much less distracting.

 

[Buck Aki Berg]

But that would then be board ad space that isn't being sold. I think the point of these things is to stick as many ads into the TV experience as possible; not replace ones that are already there.

It would definitely change the dynamic of how board space is sold, but I think it could be done.

And you wouldn't be replacing ads that are already there - the "green screen" ads could be whatever you want them to be (without the hassle of those LED ads that some arenas have) whereas the static ads are just for Air Canada or just for Ford.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

I don't mind them. In the end, hockey has less commercials than the other Big 4 sports, so more power to the TV networks using their resources to their best advantage.

 

[skeena1]

It would definitely change the dynamic of how board space is sold, but I think it could be done.

And you wouldn't be replacing ads that are already there - the "green screen" ads could be whatever you want them to be (without the hassle of those LED ads that some arenas have) whereas the static ads are just for Air Canada or just for Ford.

They are called "green screen" ads because the actual background in the venue is green. Green boards and hockey don't mix.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

Haha, yeah imagine if all the boards were just green in person

 

[TheHMan]

I don't mind them in general, with one exception. The VIAGRA ad that was on a game a few weeks ago was particularly annoying. That's just about the last thing I want to be thinking about when I watch hockey.

It's a tough business these days and if they can throw in some ads that adds value to NHL broadcasts then I'm all for it.

 

[danishh]

^^

Ottawa's had a viagra board ad (i think by the penalty box) for years. Not that surprising that they continue their relationship with Pfizer.

it has resulted in some pretty funny moments though, for example the gary roberts pic with him forming the "i" in Viagra during a warmup for the pens-sens series in 2007.

 

[LeftCoast]

I don't mind the boards or the glass.

I draw the line at putting ads on the ice surface or on uniforms (in any form).

 

[Buck Aki Berg]

They are called "green screen" ads because the actual background in the venue is green. Green boards and hockey don't mix.

Why not? They've got every other colour on the boards with the ads now...

I'm not talking about making the entire boards green, I'm talking about a single rectangle, the size of a current board ad, which is painted green to superimpose images on it.

 

[Moo]

Why not? They've got every other colour on the boards with the ads now...

I'm not talking about making the entire boards green, I'm talking about a single rectangle, the size of a current board ad, which is painted green to superimpose images on it.

This can be odd, though. I base this on MLB, when you see such "green screen" advertising behind home plate for nationally-televised games, such as on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball. Sure, you see the ad to start on normal views, but an instant replay of the pitch to home plate, or a batter's swing, or whatever, and it's a green blob. It is made worse when ESPN does a game on national TV but it's not exclusive, meaning the local markets can show it on their local networks. Then you see a green box the whole game because ESPN wants that ad space for its virtual ads.

Maybe I'm just crazy for thinking it, but I would hate to see "green screen" ads.

 

[Buck Aki Berg]

There are definitely some kinks to be worked out with my idea (you're right about the replays), but I think it'd be less tacky than the glass ads. Even ads on the scoreboard graphic (CBC often has ads on the right-hand side of their scoreboard graphic where powerplay time is displayed) looks more professional than the ads superimposed on the glass.

 

[iamaranger]

as long as its not buggy, doesnt bother me at all