Top 5 Technological Innovations That Have Changed the NFL
The world is constantly evolving, and the only consistency to life is that all things change. You don’t have to go so far to see this change. It is self-evident- from electricity to the internet and even our food.
For the most part, these changes have been super improvements in whatever fields they have been used- from Medicine to Finance, Cooking, Transportation, and Education- almost no aspect of human endeavor is left out as the wheels of change roll non-stop.
The world of sports has not been able to escape these innovations and, more specifically, the beautiful game of American football. From getting the latest NFL odds to predictions and bet previews, this $2.56 billion sports league is perhaps the most receptive to technological advancement on the planet.
If a time machine could transport an NFL fan from 60 years ago to this very moment, they would be transfixed where they stand. Here are a couple of innovative changes in the game that would shock them the hardest:
Fantasy Football
Not many things have changed the way fans relate to the league as much as the fantasy league. This development involves more active fan participation in things. They are allowed to select and work with a virtual imaginary team as if they were the coach- making decisions and having the real-world outcomes determine the points they score at the end of the day.
There are prizes to be won and a whole category from these games. This definitely is a game-changer in getting people engaged and winning fans over, undeniably effective as the stats show us.
Equipment and Physical Gear
As a very physical contact sport, protective gear like helmets are essential, but it wasn’t always the helmet’s characteristic of the NFL player. We’ve had leather helmets to plastic helmets and, more recently, polycarbonate materials, paddings, and cushions incorporated.
The most reflective feature of the times we live in on the player’s helmet has been the full implementation of the audio helmets. These audio communication lines were placed into each helmet to provide direct communication between the coaches and the teams, installed with over 260 million encryption lines and iPad playbooks to prevent information leakage.
The physical gear has also gone past the days of oversized, poorly fitting cotton fabrics to smart Under Armor and high-density foam designs that regulate player temperature while being very thin and elastic enough to accommodate the full range of motion.
Training
Training, an activity vital for success in the game, can also be problematic or disadvantageous when not done right. The latest advancements in tech have been incorporated into the NFL, and they involve a comprehensive monitoring and feedback system on each player’s fitness and vitals in training.
They also provide reliable information for coaches and trainers on the weaknesses and strengths of the members of their teams. This digitalization of the training system by Kitman Labs and Amazon NFL Next Gen Stats Platform has helped reduce unnecessary injury to players and maximize performance.
Increased Digital Coverage
With the rise of the internet, higher resolution cameras, and HD television sets, an NFL fan from the 60s would wonder what manner of sorcery was being done to stream games so cleanly.
It isn’t only about how clear our view has gotten, but the stats and figures from games can now be more easily made accessible to punters who can, in turn, draw more logical conclusions and better wagers- everybody wins!
The average punter has an added advantage due to the rise of online sports . A digital sportsbook complete with in-game and a broader range of parameters provides a thousand times more opportunities to win big for their passion.
Video Games
The average NFL fan has modern technology to thank for the sheer delight of football gaming. Evolution from the Nintendo era 80s to the current crop of hyper-realistic gaming from Madden NFL, NFL 2k5, and Tecmo Super Bowl provide another delicious layer to fan satisfaction in these times.
Conclusion
While there has always been the worry that these inventions may tamper with the fidelity of the great game- nothing could be further from the truth, these innovations have protected players and brought out their best results while maximally satisfying the fans.
The game’s beauty has only been made more apparent for all to see, and everybody loves it. The game remains ever receptive to even more brilliant innovative ways in the coming days.
