Our 2013 NFL Tech Series provides a quick hit of tech insight on all 32 NFL teams up until kickoff of Week 1 of the regular season. Each feature includes the latest tech advances implemented by the organization in the effort to advance the team’s success… in a wide variety of venues. Stadium experience, fan engagement, mobile technologies, player performance and health, statistical data gathering and analysis… any and all aspects of the organization’s procedures in the effort to find success in the NFL is on the table. We’re uncovering those efforts, investigating those innovations and pondering the benefit they might provide, for the team, players and fans alike… today and looking forward.
Today’s subject: the Philadelphia Eagles, follow in the mindset of their new coach Chip Kelly in the sense they are very analytical and data driven as they strive to be one of the most innovative teams in the NFL.
There’s a lot of promise heading into this 2013 season for the Philadelphia Eagles. With Chip Kelly under the helm, his innovative offensive schemes and whether or not they’ll translate in the pro ranks will be worth following all season-long. And the quarterback situation between Michael Vick, Nick Foles, and Matt Barkley to run this dynamic attack will be just as compelling.
Conversely, the Eagles have invested upwards of a million dollars in new technology and equipment based on the quantified self movement. They are determined to enhance player performance and the overall fan experience with this approach. The greater access to in-depth information lends itself to another level of knowledge and exclusive personalization, both for the player and the fan.
During training camp, thus far, Lincoln Financial Field has housed additional cameras and video capabilities in order to advance practice film sessions. The smart televisions circulating the facility shed light on players’ data, schedules, and workouts on a day-by-day basis. These data insights provide fans in attendance with unique perspectives to the event that are not found anywhere else. Such measures plant the seeds of hope and excitement for the season to come.
This quantified self movement will be worth monitoring, both literally and figuratively. The Jacksonville Jaguars have been among the early adopters of Catapult Sports within NFL teams. Players’ force, agility, and acceleration are some of the facets this wearable tech dispels. The OptimEye system in place functions virtually in the same vein as the GPS installed in one’s iPhone. The difference being, however, that Catapult Sports compartmentalizes the data gathered per individual athlete to better identify the exertion and 3-D motion generated. The cloud-based software enables cross-reference analysis throughout the team from the biometric data collected, which helps in evaluating players more accurately.
According to GigaOM, “big data means the most when there’s an expert there to understand and apply it.” This statement pinpoints the fundamental problem that could potentially arise without someone who can comprehend and articulate the insights. Shaun Huls, Eagles’ Sports Science Coordinator, is in charge of managing this endeavor and bridging the gap of analytics with on-field performance. Everything that’s kept track of during training camp will evolve as the season unfolds, at least the team has an initial, quantifiable baseline to gauge physical progress.
Moreover, the Eagles ascent in the digital and mobile space has been out in full force over the last few years. Last season in particular, though, the team partnered with the most recognizable flock of birds this tech-savvy generation has seen: Angry Birds. This Rovio Entertainment property has over 200 licenses, netted $71 million in profits last year with almost $200 million in revenues, a 101 percent rise, per Business Insider. Their season-long one-off was highlighted by the Facebook game where a new level premiered after every week. This campaign marked the first time ever a sports franchise teamed up with them; that, by itself, speaks to the innovative nature of the Eagles.
“You are just as likely to open up the paper in the morning and see ‘Birds Knock Off Giants’ as you are to see ‘Eagles Knock Off Giants,’ so the connection was obvious,” said Ari Roitman, Senior Vice President of Business Operations, at the time.
This upcoming season, though, the Philadelphia Eagle Mobile App is introducing some new features. The app, available across Google Play, the App Store, and Blackberry App World, maintains the basic like news, stats, standings, and an aggregated Twitter feed. The information architecture is seamless across devices, which makes it easy to peruse content regardless of the platform used. And besides the nifty evolving home-screen and interactive map for concessions, the latest upgrades should appease fans, both at home and at the stadium.
Maggie Arganbright, Director of Emerging Media, revealed to SportTechie the app’s new amenities: “Once the new build is released, fans and season ticket members will notice a number of app and iPad enhancements, including a more user-friendly swipe navigation menu. Other upgrades include scoring and gameday push alerts; integration of Instagram, Flickr and other social platforms; and a new in-stadium tab that will include live camera feeds. The in-stadium tab will also feature an option to stream the NFL RedZone channel.”
Since the team seeks input and feedback from their season ticket holders and fans to assist with their mobile efforts, it’s not surprising that they implemented and accommodated their needs. The inclusion of additional social networks makes sense for greater content distribution, particularly if the respective volume and engagement levels have tangible traction behind them. At Lincoln Financial Field, more video angles and NFL RedZone availability provides options that close the gap between the home and in-arena experience. The Wi-Fi that’s almost in effect should carry through these mobile efforts.
The video component coupled with the new Wi-Fi connection has the most potential. Fans want access to video on demand at their fingertips. The Eagles have made strides towards live-stream in recent years, too. This year, this aspect phases into mobile as part of the gradual progression. And there hasn’t been any notable integration or performance issues as they have switched developers from YinzCam to LiveU to deliver the coverage.
“Live video streaming has been available since the launch of our Draft app in April of 2011. At times throughout the season, PhiladelphiaEagles.com produces up to 25 hours of live programming (press conferences, player and locker room interviews, etc.) that includes fan call-ins and interaction. Our fans have given positive feedback about our live programming, so it was a natural progression to move that desktop experience to the mobile device. Exclusive in-stadium live video will be available to fans at Lincoln Financial Field, so this is an additional area we will be focused on for this season,” Arganbright elaborated further.
Naturally, the app registers the highest consumption by users on Mondays or the day after a game has been played, with fairly consistent traffic over the course of week. The Eagles have strategically promoted this app across their digital assets, like their website, e-mail, in-venue marquees and video-board messaging, which ensures fans will be aware of the new features. There have been over 400,000 app downloads and the majority running on iOS. Just for context: this medium’s volume tops the team’s Twitter presence by over 100,000 users.
Be it through wearables or the mobile app that fits into one’s pocket, the Philadelphia Eagles have covered a lot of technological basis prior to their Week One, Monday Night Football showdown against Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins. Now that Kelly has decided to start Michael Vick for the season, the Eagles should be ready to answer the on-field challenge with an explosive connotation.