American football seems to be diametrically opposed to technology. The game basically revolves around a group of heavily built men racing around a field while attempting to gain control of a small pigskin ball.
With the upcoming Super Bowl and all of us fans reflecting on the greatest and worst advertisements of the year, technology will play a significant role in every NFL fan’s experience by providing easy access to Super Bowl stats too.
Not only is the Super Bowl the most famous day in American sports, but the NFL also helps new technological ideas propagate worldwide and provides them with a starting point.
Let’s delve into the technological advancements in the Superbowl.
Showtime at Halftime
The game’s improvement is a significant cause for the rise in fan engagement. On Super Bowl Sunday, there are activities beyond the football game.
There is a contest to see who can create the best ad, and the halftime performance is as widely discussed as the game’s final result. In previous years, individuals discussed clothing malfunctions and power failures that no one could explain or anticipate before the game began.
Optical illusions created using video mapping and 3-D projections, as well as flyovers and fireworks, can be anticipated if Coldplay continues the trend this year.
The previous year, Pixmob distributed LED headwear that shone pixels throughout the stadium, illuminating the crowd and allowing fans to participate in the light display. Due to the drama and performance, individuals who would not ordinarily watch football must do so.
Enhanced Security
Security is the most crucial factor to consider when organizing such a significant live event with over 65,000 fans inside the host stadium and 6,000 employees, contractors, and NFL staff in attendance.
The new 5G technology revolutionizing the airwaves was used during past Superbowl events. Inside Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, 750 5G nodes were installed to provide fans with ultra-broadband connection and expedite emergency response times.
The 5G network at the stadium was constructed in part to determine how physical security would function at this massive public gathering. 5G networks helped change the speed of GPS tracking and planning coordination as first responder groups trained for an emergency during the event.
Even though heavily visited cities surrounded the stadium, it became apparent that it would be considerably simpler to dispatch emergency services in the event of an emergency.
However, organizers must consider more than just physical safety while preparing such events. Cybersecurity is also quite vital. The purpose of installing public Wi-Fi networks at stadiums across the globe is to make it easier for fans to connect to the internet, mainly when cell phone networks are congested. However, robbers and computer hackers know they can access public Wi-Fi networks.
More cybersecurity precautions were implemented on the backend infrastructure than ever to secure fans’ information from thieves. This ensured that the Super Bowl’s public Wi-Fi network was secure and allowed people to make payments on it.
Camera Technology
Seventy-eight cameras will be used to shoot the Super Bowl, an increase over the previous year’s 72 cameras. The Eye Vision 360 is the greatest of the new cameras. The replay camera can halt play anytime and move in a 360-degree circle around the action before play resumes.
Thirty-six cameras will be installed near the red zone at the 25-yard line. This will allow them to photograph the entire field and create 360-degree replays. Instant replay has become integral to how football is viewed and played.
Cameras will be reinstalled on the end zone’s perimeter pylons. The end zone pylons will have eight “pylon cameras” equipped with high-definition video and audio. These cameras will likely capture close-up footage of landings and provide an alternate perspective on calls that are too near to see with the naked eye.
The Build-Up to Game Day
The NFL had trouble convincing fans to attend the first Super Bowl, let alone participate in pre-game activities. However, the trend is opening a Fan Energy Zone for an entire week before the Super Bowl.
The host facility includes a Fan Dome with interactive virtual reality activities, a Fan Wall with social media, live video, and leaderboards, and a Fan Stage where fans may meet celebrities.
Take, for example, when Levi’s stadium hosted the Super Bowl. Given Santa Clara’s proximity to Silicon Valley, it is not surprising that the construction of Levi’s Stadium prioritized technology.
It features over 400 miles of copper and fiber optic cables, 1,200 Wi-Fi access points, and ten times the NFL’s required capacity. Fans can live-tweet the game, share photos on social media, and utilize apps such as NFL Fan Mobile Pass and Road to 50.