Super Bowl Ball Spotting Waits for New TechnologySuper Bowl Ball Spotting Waits for New Technology

There has been a lot of chatter recently about whether the NFL could soon replace the traditional “chain gang” that makes line-to-gain measurements for first downs with Sony’s Hawk-Eye optical tracking technology, which uses AI and ultra-HD cameras to track the movement of the football. 

The speculation only increased after the Jan. 26 AFC championship between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs, following a controversial call on whether Bills quarterback Josh Allen got a first down on a fourth-and-inches rush in the game’s fourth quarter. 

While officials determined he did not, many fans, especially those cheering the Bills, argued he did, leading many to expect a technological solution could one day eliminate what they saw as an example of a bad spot from officials.

For now, it looks like the bright orange markers connected by a 10-foot length chain are going to remain for measuring forward ball movement. In a new op-ed, Kimberly Fields, NFL senior vice president of football operations, said while Sony’s AI-powered technology, which has seen regular use in professional tennis for several years, shows promise, the league still has a lot more testing before the technology is used in a regular-season game.

“There are technologies available today, with the potential to improve accuracy, speed of play, decision-making, fan engagement and other factors integral to both the integrity and the enjoyment of professional sports,” Fields said. “At the same time, we’re stewards of our respective games. Changes take longer in organizations such as the NFL … because we must strike the right balance between innovation and tradition.”

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Before the start of the 2024 season, Sony, which has long provided the league’s broadcast cameras, sideline photography and production technology, deepened its relationship with the NFL by becoming its official technology partner. This included the testing of several new technologies, including Hawk-Eye, which includes virtual line-to-gain measurements for first downs and standardized boundary-line cameras for replay and a system that tracks players’ body and limb movements on the field in real time. 

In keeping with the partnership, NFL Officiating used the virtual line-to-gain measurement technology in nine preseason games last year. The system pairs six ultra-HD cameras, arrayed around the field, with computer-vision software, which work together to accurately measure the distance of the football — “after it’s been spotted by officials,” Fields noted — and the first-down line.

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When the preseason was over, the NFL had its first batch of real-world data. Hawk-Eye’s measurements typically took 45 seconds, compared to 75 seconds for traditional chain measurements. With this first taste of the technology, the NFL continued to test and train the system in the background of the 2024 regular season, with engineers at the league’s officiating center in New York working to optimize the technical measurement process and software.  

“With these added efficiencies, I’m confident this technology will produce faster and more accurate measurements in the future,” Fields said.

In the meantime, expect Hawk-Eye and other emerging technologies to be running in the background, including at Sunday’s Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, where the Chiefs will meet the Philadelphia Eagles.

This article first appeared in IoT World Today's sister publication AI Business.