The “NHL × ASL” is back with the upcoming NHL Winter Classic.
A byproduct of covering accessibility for disabled people as I have over the last almost dozen years, particularly over the last almost 5 years doing this column, is seeing how beneficial today’s tech would have been yesterday. It’s a concept I contemplate often, as devices like the iPhone, for example, and its commensurate suite of assistive technologies has made connecting with the world more accessible than ever. It’s technology that would have made my formative years much easier—in many more ways than one—were I born, say, in 2001 instead of 1981.
As a lifelong disabled person and diehard sports fan, I thought about this notion again recently when I learned the National Hockey League (NHL) announced late last week that its “NHL in ASL” telecasts will return on New Year’s Eve. The alternative broadcast, specifically designed for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people, will be of the league’s annual Winter Classic game. The game is between the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues, played outdoors at Wrigley Field in Chicago. It’s the first time the Winter Classic will be shown in American Sign Language, according to the NHL.
The “NHL in ASL” broadcast will feature Deaf play-by-play announcers and color commentators, calling game action in real time. The alternate feed will be available to stream on Max and Sportsnet+ in Canada.
As a CODA, I have vivid memories growing up of trying to explain TV events to my fully-Deaf parents. My dad was a diehard 49ers fan, and every week I would have to explain the game analysis to him. There was closed-captioning, but it was rudimentary for the time—certainly nothing even remotely approaching something like the “NHL in ASL” broadcasts. Of course, a big part of this is technological; technology (and cultural sensibilities) are so exponentially advanced nowadays that leagues like the NHL can blaze a trail in terms of accessibility. In hindsight, however, it makes me wistful to consider how much my dad would have benefitted from a similar presentation from the NFL. It would have made watching the Niners’ glory years more enriching.
“Building off the tremendous success of our groundbreaking NHL in ASL broadcast for the 2024 Stanley Cup Final, we are proud to continue to demonstrate the League’s commitment to providing a fully immersive and accessible viewing experience that specifically meets the needs of the Deaf community for our Legacy events as well, starting for the first time with this year’s NHL Winter Classic,” Steve Mayer, president of content and events for the NHL, said in a statement. “This is an NHL-led production for the Deaf by the Deaf, and we encourage all fans watching at home to tune-in to experience this special telecast.”
The “NHL in ASL” broadcast is made possible by the league’s partnership with Deaf inclusion company PXP. About a month ago, I shared an interview with company founder and chief executive Brice Christianson I did with him earlier this year about working with the NHL. He was effusive in his praise, telling me in part the league “are pioneers” and it’s a “dream come true” to work alongside such an “incredible” partner. Christianson, who’s a fellow CODA, said the “NHL in ASL” telecast is groundbreaking because the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community historically haven’t had access to experiencing live sports.
“This has been a partnership that has evolved over the past couple of years,” Christianson said of PXP’s work with the NHL. “It’s a blueprint on how sports teams and leagues can operate with an authentic allyship lens. It’s a blueprint on how access does not have to be complicated. There’s a lot of time that goes into it. Oftentimes it’s restructuring the system, but it really does come down to just communication, belief, and execution. Like I said, I’m not here without the NHL… guaranteed.”
My conversation with Christianson was integrated into a report on the NHL’s announcement it was providing weekly game highlights in ASL.
