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For many fans, attending a professional hockey game means navigating long lines, crowded concourses, and constant movement around the arena. Second-year Commerce student Jordan Bates knows that experience well. A longtime hockey fan with an interest in sports data, he saw an opportunity to improve how people experience the game.

That idea led him to the . Run by the NHL and the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA), the competition invites post-secondary students to develop and pitch solutions related to infrastructure, sustainability, and the fan experience. Bates tied for first place and was named co-winner of the Innovator Award at this year’s competition in Ottawa.
 

A fan’s-eye view of the arena

Bates focused on what happens between the whistles, as fan attention shifts from the game to navigating the venue.

His idea, First-Line, is built around giving people better information based on real-time conditions inside the arena.

The app would show wait times for concessions and washrooms, highlight less crowded routes through the arena, and offer seat upgrades by identifying unsold lower bowl seats in real time. It would also include interactive elements such as trivia during stoppages and a digital passport that tracks games attended and key moments.

“I wanted to take the pain points fans always talk about and smooth them out,” says Bates. “At the same time, you can create moments that make going to a game more exciting and accessible.”
 

Presenting on a national stage

After submitting a written proposal, Bates advanced to a semifinal round, where 20 teams were selected for a virtual interview before being named one of six finalists.

Finalists were paired with mentors from the NHL and SAP, a global data and analytics company, to refine their ideas ahead of the final round. That process focused on how to present the concept clearly and how it could connect to data collection systems already used in NHL arenas.

Those systems, developed with SAP, track crowd movement, concession demand, and other operational details inside venues. Bates’ idea uses that data to guide fans more effectively during a game.

[from left]: Rob Knesaurek (NHL), Chris Phillips (Ottawa Senators), Jordan Bates (Queen’s), Heather Matthews (SAP), and Amy Walsh (Future of Hockey Lab) (credit: Josh Kim, NHL).

The final round took place at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, where finalists pitched their ideas in front of judges and industry representatives. Bates’ result marked the first time the competition’s Innovator Award has gone to a team consisting of one person.

“It was pretty surreal,” says Bates. “I came in with one version of the idea, but working through it with mentors from the NHL and SAP helped take it to the next level.” 
 

Sharpening skills at Queen’s

The experience gave Bates the chance to test his idea in front of people working across the hockey and sports technology sectors, drawing on work he has done throughout his studies.

At Queen’s, Bates said his coursework at helped build the skills behind the project, from breaking down complex problems to working with data and presenting ideas clearly.

Alongside his studies, his work with the , an AMS-ratified club where he served as a data analyst and content writer, gave him a chance to apply those skills outside the classroom.

“I’ve always been interested in this space, and I saw how what I’m learning at Queen’s could connect to it in a real way,” says Bates. “It made me more curious about how far my ideas can go and what I can build from them.”

Learn more about this year’s .