The NFL may be getting rid of the chain gang. You know, those guys who hold the "sticks" or "flags" or whatever you want to call them on the sidelines?
The entire purpose of an offense is to "move the chains" on the way to a touchdown. Now, it may be trying to "move the technologically created first-down markers."
No, seriously.
This comes straight from NFL senior vice president and chief information officer Gary Brantley, who told The Associated Press that the league intends to test Sony's Hawk-Eye technology during a handful of preseason games. If it works, it could be used in 2025 — or maybe even sooner.
"We're in the installation phase for all of our stadiums, really getting them calibrated and up to date," Brantley told the AP. "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."'
The Associated Press broke it down this way:
"Sony, which was named the NFL's official technology partner Wednesday, has expanded its sports technology through Hawk-Eye Innovations to support officiating and the development of on-field and sideline technologies, including a new coach's sideline headset that will debut in 2025.
"Its Hawk-Eye tracking services for line-to-gain measurement adds cameras to stadiums to track players, officials and the ball. The optimal tracking system notifies officials instantly if a first down was gained after the ball is spotted by hand."
Who knows? Maybe this would be a good thing. But at least part of this idea seems like using technology for the sake of it. The NFL is a multibillion-dollar industry. Why they keep messing with it is anyone's guess.
