SMT, which provides the famous yellow virtual 1st & Ten line system, will enable fans attending Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday to experience that and much more.
SMT, which delivers real-time data and graphics solutions, worked with the NFL and Minnesota Vikings this season to make sure fans in-venue would get an experience that’s greater than what they might see from their couches at home.
By providing a new version of the NFL’s Next Gen Stats real-time data feed, fans in Minneapolis can see in-game stats integrated into SMT’s graphics packages displayed on the stadium’s two video boards and also 2,000 in-concourse video displays. Next Gen Stats are enabled via Zebra Technologies, which has RFID chips in the pads worn by players and also in the game balls.
The data can range from positional information (Who’s on the field?) to game leaders (Who’s the fastest on the field today? Who’s had the longest plays today?) and quarterback passing grids (How has this QB fared in these zones today?).
“As an organization, the Minnesota Vikings constantly look for innovative strategies that provide the best fan experience possible, and SMT’s in-stadium solution is the perfect complement to our new video boards,” Allen Wertheimer, Senior Manager of Production for the Vikings, said in a statement. “For years, we’ve heard from fans that they want the same innovative technology in-stadium that they get at home. Now, with SMT’s presentation of the virtual 1st and Ten system and the NFL’s Next Gen Stats on the video boards, we can offer them in-game stats they wouldn’t get watching from home.”
Added Ben Grafchik, SMT Business Development Manager: “We are confident that our execution will provide quantifiable and unique data points that truly highlight the skills inherent in elite NFL athletes.”