Kraken fans are part of the show

Lamont Buford and his team were thrilled two springs ago at the sight of Kraken fans lighting up a dark room at Climate Pledge Arena with radio-controlled LED bracelets as the players took the ice for their first-ever home playoff game against the ‘Colorado Avalanche.

But Buford, the team’s vice president of entertainment experience and production, wanted to engage fans even more. Now, after more than a year of effort, a new setup on the Kraken mobile app will allow fans’ smartphones to be triggered by arena music and become part of a display of lights. pre-match.

“We saw more and more of our fans get their phones out during the regular season,” Buford said. “They have to turn on their flashlights to be able to see because the arena is already quite dark.

“And so, seeing this happening, we knew of a company that was tampering with phones with the lights from the phone’s camera provided that everyone scanned the QR code or allowed access.”

This company, Cue, specializes in fan-focused technology and helps event attendees feel more engaged.

The Cue Light Show button will be one of the biggest additions to the Kraken app this upcoming season. In addition to the more detailed player biographies available, fans can now access a new “Hockey Education” section with explanatory articles on the different rules and nuances of the sport.

The Kraken are the only NHL team with an exclusive mobile app, allowing them to customize features just for their fan base.

Dozens of professional sports teams already use some form of Cue engagement. In the case of the Kraken, subsonic waves generated by music played over the arena’s sound system will be used to trigger the strobe lights on smartphones. Not only that, but these same lights will also vibrate in sync with the rhythm of the music being played.

Fans will need to update their Kraken Online app to enable the Cue Light Show feature for Tuesday’s season opener against the St. Louis Blues. This push update should be available this weekend or Monday at the latest.

A Cue Light Show button will be added to the app’s home screen via the update. Pressing it will take fans to a “sync” screen where their phone will connect to the control room running the pre-match show itself – automatically triggering the lights.

The addition of Cue lights should create a particularly dazzling effect as the Kraken players exit the locker room and head onto the ice. While ESPN will broadcast Tuesday’s opener, most home games will be on the new team-run Kraken Sports Network, meaning fans’ smartphones and their flashing, pulsing lights can be priority in pre-game shows on KONG, King 5 and other affiliated stations. .

Buford said another advantage of the Cue Lights is their durability, because they use existing smartphones rather than older wristbands that have to be recreated and recycled into trash bins once fans leave the arena.

Buford said Cue technology won’t be limited to just lights.

“We’ll have images that pop up on (their phone’s) screen so they know they’re on the show,” Buford said. “Their flashlights will work and if they want to record that as well, they can still record and post to their social media and share with their friends. They will also be able to take photos.

“So it’s a win-win for everyone.”