How Technology Is Changing the Entire Game of Football
Predictive technology was being talked about quite a bit this time last year thanks to analytics beating the experts and correctly calling that the Seattle Seahawks would win the Super Bowl.
Technology continues to make greater inroads in the world of sports. Microsoft’s Surface tablet is being evaluated for use by the NFL to rewatch plays and review the game in greater detail. The tablet can be customized to help referees make better calls, players understand their tactics more, and coaches instruct their teams with greater precision. While all of this is still in the feasibility stage, if approved by the NFL committee, this move could have a big effect on game strategy.
Clearly, technology as significant as this cannot be deployed live with just one round of testing. Besides the testing done by the app developer, a lot of on-field testing will be necessary. Teams from across the NFL, coaches, the committee, and possibly even sport bloggers and commentators will have a hand in evaluating the relevance and accuracy of the software.
The most relevant tests to conduct will be focused on the end-user, such as acceptance scenarios, performance of the application, and its usability. These are important as the nimbleness and responsiveness of the application will be key during time-crunched live games. The security of the application also will be very important to test for. If a coach were sending live instructions to his players and the security of their medium were compromised, you can imagine what a disaster that would be. Such a gap would defeat the whole purpose of the application.
Technologies to enhance the experiences of playing and watching sports, particularly lucrative football, also are rolling out all the time. Last year, digitalization and gadgets debuted to enhance the game’s experience, players’ safety, and referees’ overall accuracy. A lot of this technology is in the direction of wearable technology for players.
Like in any discipline, critics are pointing out the perils of too much technology intervention. Some say this technology heavily favors offenses, so it’s much tougher for defensive lines to gain an advantage. On the other hand, some coaches, believe there is need for more technology on the field to remove any element of human error.
One thing the makers of this type of technology can do is pay heed to both sides. It is important for app designers and testers to closely consider encouraging and critical feedback, because this increased connectivity and digitalization is likely here to stay in football.
