AR is an emerging technology and new territory for professional sports. Browning said the NHL has looked at many opportunities to incorporate AR and social media filters but was not satisfied with the experience until now. The NHL met with Dynamic Vision, a Calgary-based company that develops advanced and interactive 3D visualizations and simulation technologies, to identify a solution that delivers a best-in-class AR experience.
The Cup is a challenge to photograph because of its curved, mirror-like surface and minute details. At the NHL office in New York, it was placed on a pedestal that could rotate little by little, and the lighting was adjusted until it was just right.
Browning said it took 12 hours to photograph the Cup, and then it took more than 800 photographs and more than 200 hours to map it.
The bottom of the Cup -- the bands with all the names, currently from the 1965-66 Montreal Canadiens to the 2020-21 Tampa Bay Lightning -- is mainly photos stitched together. The neck and the bowl are a mix of photos stitched together and digital artistry done by hand.
Look closely, and you'll see some engraving recreated as if it were done by letter stamps and some as if it were done by a tool dot by dot. You'll see every little odd detail, like "1906" alone on the lip of the bowl. You'll see all the errors, like "1980-81 NEW YORK ILANDERS."
"We've never had any company take that level of interest in perfecting the Cup, and that's why the product is so beautiful and impressive when you get to see it," Browning said.
