NBC Sports Next and USA Hockey Extend Long-Term Partnership, Using SportsEngine Technology to Better Connect with Athletes at Every Level
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (Oct. 4, 2023) – NBC Sports Next and USA Hockey, the foundational organization supporting the sport of ice hockey in the United States, today announced a new, multi-year extension of their long-term partnership. A key element of the new agreement names NBC Sports Next’s industry leading youth technology brand, SportsEngine, as an official video and content partner of USA Hockey.
SportsEngine’s digital and streaming platforms will have sole rights to feature existing and future USA Hockey video content produced for athletes and coaches, and to all content produced for USA Hockey’s cutting-edge American Development Model (ADM), which focuses content on age-appropriate athlete development through a more holistic approach.
Video content from USA Hockey aligns perfectly with the SportsEngine audience. Its Coaching Education Program provides valuable drills and strategies with an emphasis on player relationships and growth; while the organization’s Players & Parents section shares helpful advice for families to make the most of the game, including video guides on equipment and rules, as well as training and playing tips. ADM video content helps coaches and parents focus on the well-being of the player, offering skills and healthy strategies for keeping young athletes engaged and enjoying the sport of ice hockey.
Brett MacKinnon, SVP & General Manager, Youth & Recreational Sports, NBC Sports Next, expressed pride in the long-term partnership with USA Hockey, saying, “We’re grateful for the confidence USA Hockey has demonstrated in SportsEngine through this new agreement, which will utilize our cutting-edge technology to better engage their membership while attracting more and more people to the sport of ice hockey through video and streaming.”
“We’re excited to continue our relationship with NBC Sports Next,” said Pat Kelleher, Executive Director of USA Hockey. “We share a similar vision in terms of not only providing a great experience for those currently involved in the sport but also engaging in efforts to showcase the game in different ways to reach new audiences.”
The partnership extension builds on SportsEngine’s decade-long relationship with USA Hockey, where it has leveraged its leading sports management technology to support the organization’s growth, brand enhancement, and risk-management. SportsEngine technology assists USA Hockey with its league, club, coach and athlete membership data management, and also provides robust reporting, powerful financial tools, enhanced communication, rostering and more to USA Hockey and its local associations. USA Hockey also utilizes SportsEngine to manage its safety programs, including background checks through the National Center for Safety Initiatives and safety training.
NBC Sports Next’s SportsEngine serves more than 30,000 small and medium-sized youth sports organizations, tournaments, the USOPC and Governing Body community, professional sports leagues and thousands of municipalities with its cutting-edge suite of technology solutions to dramatically reduce the time they spend on administration and communication, allowing them to focus more time on developing their athletes.
About NBC Sports Next
NBC Sports Next is a subdivision of NBC Sports and home to all NBCUniversal digital applications in sports and technology within Golf and Youth & Recreational Sports. Known for its sports technology product innovation, NBC Sports Next equips more than 30 million players, coaches, athletes, sports administrators and fans in 40 countries with more than 25 sports solution products, including GolfNow, the leading online tee time marketplace and provider of golf course operations technology and services; GolfPass the ultimate golf membership that connects golfers to exclusive content, tee time credits, coaching, tips and other benefits; and SportsEngine, an industry leader in youth sports club, league and team management technology and youth sports editorial content. NBC Sports Next is fueled by its mission to innovate, create larger-than-life events and connect with sports fans through technology to provide the ultimate in immersive experiences.
About USA Hockey
USA Hockey, established on October 29, 1937, and headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, provides the foundation for the sport of ice hockey in America; helps young people become leaders, sometimes Olympic or Paralympic heroes; and connects the game at every level while promoting a lifelong love of the sport. USA Hockey is more than a million strong, including players, coaches, officials and volunteers that span all 50 states. The National Governing Body for the sport in the United States, USA Hockey has important partnerships with the NHL, United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and International Ice Hockey Federation. For more information, visit usahockey.com.