NFL will use tiny RFID tags to accurately track individual player performance

Zebra Technologies, a technology tracking manufacturer, will be supplying the NFL with radio-frequency identification (RFID) microchips, no larger than the size of a coin, branded as Nex Gen Stats, to measure players’ speed, distance, and direction traveled in real-time.

After testing the device last year, all 31 stadiums will now be ringed with sensors pointed at the field. According to Zebra Technologies, the chip is extremely accurate, with the margin of error less than six inches. The tags produce a ton of data, allowing the NFL to know where every player is from the moment he walks onto the field when the wireless gate technology activates the chip.

“Each player's shoulder pads are embedded with two coin-sized RFID tags that send signals to RFID readers positioned around the inside of the stadium bowl,” Jill Stelfox, general manager and vice president of Location Solutions for Zebra Technologies said. “The tags send signals 25 times per second that the readers triangulate to a precise location allowing them to show player location within six inches. Tags only have to be installed once and will last for the season.”

Once a player steps onto the field, he is tracked for the entirety of the game, with sensors that measure speed, movement, and plays. The statistics are processed by Zebra, and then sent to the NFL servers before being distributed out to different broadcast networks, box score providers, and Xbox and Windows 10 (which will begin this season via the NFL 2015 app).

“The app will include a Next Gen Stats section with features such as the ability to view a player’s speed and the actual distance covered by a player throughout an entire game within highlight clips,” Stelfox said.

Eighteen stadiums used the technology last year, and the place where the tracking may have been most noticeable was during live TV broadcasts, highlighting a player’s path during an instant replay, and the announcer listing off statistics such as how fast a wide receiver was running on a deep pass.

Prior statistics looked at the outcome of a play such as throws, rushing attempts, and yards, whereas this microchip puts the spotlight on individual players. A completed pass may gain 15 yards downfield, but the wide receiver will cover several more yards to gain that advancement.

The tiny chip may be able to provide teams with greater data and statistics when it comes to drafting as physical tests measure things like bench press reps, vertical jumps, and how fast one can complete the 40 yard dash, but there’s no parameter for measuring dexterity. For example, a linebacker who can do 30 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press might not be able to cover a tight end or make a move to avoid a block, things that Next Gen Stats can measure.

“From a schematics and tactics standpoint, the Zebra Sports Solution enables coaches to dive deeper into the game,” Stelfox said.

The technology may eventually be used as part of the NFL’s training regimens, strategy, injury analysis, and could even be a game changer in how plays are called.

Source: BuzzFeed