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News, Blog and GuidesAmerica’s most popular sport may soon be getting an upgrade, but how will the inclusion of new technology affect the game and is it even necessary?
Paul RudderEnglish_ASUpdate: Jul 31st, 2024 12:38 EDT0
CHRIS DELMASAFP
It may be that NFL fans will soon see a much more streamlined game when it comes to determining the line to gain during games. The question of course remains as to whether this is the squeaky wheel that the league needed to fix.
NFL to test Hawk-Eye tracking system
According to reports on Wednesday, the NFL has agreed to a partnership with Sony that will make the latter the official technology partner of the league. To that end, we will soon be seeing new headsets for coaches on the sidelines from 2025 onward. Yet, the real eye-opener in the league’s announcement is the changes that could be made to the so called “chain gang” i.e., the officials who are tasked with figuring out the line to gain.
🏈 We are very proud to announce that Sony is now a technology partner of the @NFL and the new official headphones of the NFL! Through this partnership, Sony and the NFL will be working collaboratively with coaches, players, teams, and leadership across the organization #SonyXNFL pic.twitter.com/yi05WiRLOj
— Hawk-Eye Innovations (@Hawkeye_view) July 31, 2024
As per reports, Sony’s Hawk-Eye tracking services are being developed to bring “state-of-art line-to-gain optical tracking technology to review and make critical ruling on plays, helping to achieve the highest level of integrity for the game.” Further to that, NFL executive Gary Brantley also informed the media that the league would begin testing the new Hawk-Eye system during some of the preseason games.
Here’s a look at the UFL’s Tru Line Technology.It uses six 4K optical tracking cameras throughout each stadium to measure the spot of a ball in seconds.The NFL tested similar technology at several games last year — like the Hawk-Eye system in tennis.pic.twitter.com/cIrbcbMcLB
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) March 30, 2024
“We’re in the installation phase for all of our stadiums, really getting them calibrated and up to date,” said Brantley, via ESPN. “We’re just really getting to a place where this system is as accurate as possible and really calibrating across our multiple stadiums. …We have multiple stadiums with multiple dimensions inside of those stadiums with different age. So, we’re really just going through the installation of putting in the infrastructure and making sure these cameras are installed.”
