Page 72 - Computer Power User - February 2017

Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys, and
Indianapolis Colts are among eight teams
that have tested this $8,300 practice
tool billed as “the world’s first and only
motorized, self-righting, mobile training
dummy.” Conceived by Dartmouth
College football coach Buddy Teevens,
the MVP notably never gets tired and
can run a five-second 40-yard dash. At
180 pounds, the MVP was engineered to
mimic the height and weight of college
and pro players. Thus, the “MVP can
take a hit” while giving players realistic
tackling, pursuit, and pass defense
reps without “the impact and fatigue
associated with athlete-on-athlete
training.” That means less man-on-man
contact and risk of injury, including head-
related ones.
Another tech-driven practice
tool teams have embraced is the
HIGHandTIGHT Training Football, a Through its Next Gen Stats project, the NFL is making various types of research and data available to
$170 football that literally whistles when fans, including fantasy football owners, to dig deeper into players’ abilities and performances.
properly held. Meant to help running
backs and receivers reduce their fumbles, and analytics platform that captures as reaching 23.24mph while traversing
the ball integrates multiple sensors so real-time location data, speed, and 139.37 total yards on a kickoff return.
that if held incorrectly, the whistling acceleration “for every player, every play, For Super Bowl LI, Bloom is interested
stops. Tom Creguer, the ball’s inventor, on every inch of the field.” Essentially, in seeing how such technological
told BizTech.com that the ball “teaches RF sensors situated in players’ shoulder innovations can provide fans watching at
muscle memory” and “creates the habit of pads and throughout NFL stadiums help home with new perspectives into the game’s
thinking about ball positioning first rather capture real-time game data that teams, overall story. “Anything from cameras in
than running fast and avoiding guys.” broadcasters, fantasy owners, and fans can the pylons to player-tracking technology
A tech-related effort that doesn’t help all dissect and use. This includes via an that can help broadcasters quantify player
improve skills but does offer insight app for the Xbox One, Surface devices, performance in ways that were previously
into NFL players’ abilities is the data- and Windows. not possible highly interests me,” he says.
driven Next Gen Stats, a research, data, At NFL.com, Next Gen Stats are “In the end, sports are content, and the best
available for Passing, Ball content comes from great stories. So I’m
Carriers, and Defense looking to see how technology can provide
categories. Ball Carriers, new story elements.”
for example, includes data
that details the maximum The Road To Game Day
speed measured in miles per Since 2013, the NFL has been on a
hour that a player reaches mission to enhance the fan experience
on a given play carrying in every NFL stadium in terms of
the ball. Longest play data, connectivity, mobile apps, video screens,
meanwhile, shows how and other tech-related features. The
far a ball carrier traveled stadiums that have resulted from the
during a play regardless heavy tech investments are “technological
Technology is working its way into the NFL in numerous ways both of how many actual yards marvels,” Bloom says.
on and off the field. An on-the-field example is the HIGHandTIGHT were gained. This season, As TechRepublic.com points out,
football, which integrates sensors and emits a whistle to indicate a for example, Next Gen the upgrades initially were meant
player is holding the ball properly to reduce fumbles. Stats charted Kansas City to keep millennials—a generation
Chiefs receiver Tyreek Hill of users who expect consistently good

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