New Technology Could Replace NFL Chain Gangs

The NFL will utilize new technology in a few preseason games to assess its impact on the games. The technology in question is a Sony product called Hawk-Eye, which could potentially replace chain gangs in measuring line-to-gain.

Several games over the years have hinged on the exact placement of the ball on the field. The Hawk-Eye technology will look to give games a more accurate measure to attempt to eliminate human error.

What is Hawk-Eye?

Sony, the NFL’s official technology partner, was named on Wednesday. The company created Hawk-Eye Innovations to help officials and is also developing on-field and sideline technology.

Hawk-Eye tracking will add cameras to stadiums to track players, officials, and the ball. This camera system will allow for more accurate measurements for line-to-gain.

The tracking system will automatically notify field officials when the ball is manually spotted and a first down is gained.

NFL Executive Gary Brantley told The Associated Press that the NFL will test the Hawk-Eye tracking system during some of the preseason games. The technology won’t make its debut in the regular season until, maybe, next year.

“We’re in the installation phase for all of our stadiums, really getting them calibrated and up to date,” said Brantley, the NFL’s senior vice president and chief information officer.

“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 ages. So, we’re really just going through the installation of putting in the infrastructure and making sure these cameras are installed.”

The Hawk-Eye technology could increase the speed of a game as well. Sony President and Chief Operations Officer Neal Manowitz said:

“We’re reducing a significant amount of time, 40 seconds for each time of use that basically is making the game that much more impactful, and then also the system is accurate down to less than half an inch, which is incredibly, incredibly accurate. Hopefully the fans appreciate the objective view, or at least half the fans each play will be appreciating it.”

This is not the only new technology being brought to the NFL by Sony. Coaches will also receive new headsets designed by Sony to improve communication.

Sony will also help enhance sideline photography, broadcast camera systems, and production. Upgrades will be seen in all facets of an NFL game.

Neal Manowitz would go on to say:

“The NFL has incredibly high standards and really what we’re talking about in this relationship is together, at the highest level, how do we change the future of sports,” Manowitz said.

“How we change line to gain is a great example, and that’s where. … we get the creators of the game, all of the people of the ops team, the coaches, the players, how do we get that community as close as possible to our engineers, and how do we bring them and then ultimately provide a much better experience for fans.”

All these upgrades and new technology could increase fans’ experience, but will the game lose some authenticity?

Human error is a part of the game

Is the NFL the latest sport to attempt to eliminate human error? This new technology could theoretically eliminate the chain gang.

The chain gang consists of individuals on the sideline who carry two bright orange sticks connected by a chain. These sticks and chains are used to determine whether a first down is gained.

This is one aspect of a game where human interaction can make or break it.

Fans of sports are seeing more and more technology across the professional sports landscape, attempting to eliminate human error.

In baseball, fans are seeing strike zones being judged by technology, so why not football?

Are football fans ready for a more accurate call system, or are the veteran fans “okay” with the current systems? If it’s not broken, why fix it, right? Chain gangs have been around for years, but the future of football is changing.

The ever-evolving landscape of technology will change the game, and this may be the start. Fans of the NFL will not be able to stop these advancements.

The advancements could make the game better and fairer for both teams, but only time will tell if the new technology will be worthwhile.

Get ready for the future because it is on the way.