We know now, more than ever, that the NFL is an evolving league. Not only has the sport itself changed, but the way fans watch the game has become as transient as the cities the games are played in.
Levi’s Stadium is a great example of how technology has impacted the game and those watching. The 49ers’ new home is a hyper-connected mecca that allows for fans to watch and experience the game in brand new ways. But as unpredictable as the 2014 season has been, technology has without a doubt played a large part in its identity. Not only have sidelines transformed, but concussions have come to the forefront of many football conversations, and breaking records is more common than J.J. Watt finding the end zone this year.
Bottom line, the evolving landscape of the NFL has never been more evident than this season. But three tech solutions stand out (arguably) more than others.
3. Paper for Plastic?
No one has ever studied the game of football like Peyton Manning. I grew up watching the future Hall of Famer sitting on the sidelines, studying black and white printouts of the opposition. That was back in the day (take that saying with a grain of salt, I’m a Millennial). But those old school methods have turned to pulp with the introduction of sideline tablets.
Thanks to a five-year, $400 million deal with Microsoft, teams are able to study their opponents in nearly real-time on Microsoft Surface tablets. That’s right, no more finger-licking, page-flipping printouts. Teams are (optionally) allowed 13 sideline tablets and 12 additional tablets for the coaches’ box.
In order to keep things on an even keel, the NFL owns and operates each and every Surface tablet. The new sideline tech will also run on a closed wireless network and be held under lock and key in order to prevent (dare I say it) another spygate!
Not only can players use the digital images as material for study, but the tablets allow teams to draw out plays right overtop of the images. This makes the tablet a rather intuitive tool for the NFL.
Yes, sideline technology has come a long way. It doesn’t really stop with the Microsoft deal either.
Bose has also inked its own deal with “The Shield.” Bose created the SoundComm B20 Headsets to make communication as crisp and clear as possible. That’s an extremely important and overlooked detail when you’re going up against, say, the 12th man. Seattle Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll even said the technological improvements are going to “take us to a new level”.
Both of these deals, when combined, can be extremely important and beneficial to NFL teams. Crisp communication and intuitive tablet tech can mean the difference between following a game-plan and going for broke on an audible because your QB’s printouts got soggy.
Yes, there may be a learning curve when it comes to Microsoft’s tablet, but in time, they will prove their worthiness just as RFID technology will.
2. Not Your Average ID
RFID is described by the all-mighty Google as the following: Radio-Frequency Identification is the use of radio waves to read and capture information stored on a tag attached to an object.
Welcome to the NFL, RFID.
While radio frequency identification may not have an immediate effect on the game or the viewing experience, it has been introduced. 17 stadiums have already been outfitted with RFID technology.
A small sensor under an athlete’s pads can tell coaches the location, speed, and distance of a player within the field of play. The data will even be able track acceleration and total distance run (pretty cool).
After information is compiled, coaches and staff can access the info (along with real-time visualizations), which will help in situations like scouting, training, and player evaluations.
This technology is fresh and will provide fans with what the NFL calls “next-gen statistics”, thanks to its deal with Zebra Technologies.
“Working with Zebra will give fans, teams, coaches and players a deeper look into the game they love,” said Vishal Shah, NFL’s Vice President of Media Strategy.
“Zebra’s tracking technology will help teams to evolve training, scouting and evaluation through increased knowledge of player performance, as well as provide ways for our teams and partners to enhance the fan experience.”
Speaking of fans, the NFL knows we love statistics. Imagine knowing just how much separation is required for a receiver, like Antonio Brown, to beat a cornerback on crossing route. Even better, it would be great to know the deceleration and acceleration of Tashaun Gipson on an interception.
RFID has yet to be introduced in every NFL stadium, but it has to start somewhere. It’s only a matter of time before teams capitalize on the data and fans get an optional “Madden-Style” view streamed right to their second-screen.
But perhaps some of this technology has been a whisper compared to the discussions surrounding concussions.
1. Brain and Gain
Yes, concussions have been at the forefront of football conversations for a few years now. But as seasons are played out, the topic remains prevalent because head trauma is a major concern.
It’s possible that many football helmets just don’t have the capabilities of fully preventing concussions, yet Riddell will not be content until a solid solution has been put forth.
The Revolution Speed (2008) and the Riddell 360 (2012) were two attempts at reducing concussions.
As a fan, I am one that notices new hardware on the field. I previously took note of the two mentioned helmet designs. But the helmet that really caught my attention on the field is the successor of the two: the SpeedFlex.
Introduced this season, the first thing you notice about the new lid is its separated front panel dubbed “The Flex System”.
Thad Ide, Riddell’s Senior Vice President of Research and Product Development, told ABC News: “The flexible portion of the shell, when it works in conjunction with the padding on the inside of the shell can actually reduce forces more than if the shell was solid. Allowing the helmet to flex during impact could also reduce forces from frontal impact to the players head.”
The helmets Composite Energy Management system works with The Flex System to ensure that impact is absorbed by the helmet, not by the player’s brain.
Couple those two features, with the helmet’s inflatable Occipital Lock and its Patented Side Impact Protection (PSIP), and the SpeedFlex is the best football helmet on the market. If you ask me, it looks great too.
Although nothing is yet capable of negating head and neck trauma altogether, this is a step in the right direction.
Football is an incredibly violent sport, whether everyone can admit it or not. Considering the evolution of the game itself, we’re now lightyears ahead of the black and white days of football when no one wore head protection at all.
All of this technology is a true testament to the quality and state of the NFL. The game is constantly evolving; and the 2014 season is a prime example of its state of flux.
From tablets and headsets, to radio frequency identification and helmets, this isn’t your grandpa’s league anymore. Although not every change is welcome (illegal hands to the face calls are out of hand), technology has the ability to change the game in unprecedented ways.
And if this is the tech the NFL is capable of putting on the field today, imagine what we will see in another decade or two.