'Thursday Night Football' games in 2016 will be implementing some new and potentially game-changing technology by inserting custom data chips into game balls. The chips will not be used to measure tampering -- rather, they will be inserted into field goal balls, known as K-balls, to track the precise location of the balls as they pass through, over, or outside of the posts.
Until this season, gauging a successful or missed field goal was the exclusive responsibility of the referee at the goal. Though usually a simple binary of "good" or "no good," the decision could be difficult when the ball passed directly over one of the posts. With the new data-chip implementation, tracking data will definitively answer whether the game winner will be successful or wide right.
The Thursday Night Football K-balls will also be used to more accurately track overall accuracy, potentially providing insight into whether the league should tighten or widen the goal posts to limit or increase the success rate for field goals.
Chip-Embedded Footballs
These Smart Footballs Will Be Used for the NFL's 'Thursday Night Football'
Trend Themes
1. Chip-embedded Footballs - This trend suggests opportunities for manufacturers to create more smart sports equipment with built-in tracking systems.
2. Smart Sports Equipment - A trend in smart technology being applied to sports equipment provides an opportunity for manufacturers to differentiate their products through innovation.
3. Data-driven Decision Making - The use of data chips to collect and analyze player performance metrics in real-time opens up an opportunity for data-driven decision making in sports coaching and management.
Industry Implications
1. Sports Equipment - This trend provides opportunities for sports equipment manufacturers to integrate smart tracking systems into their products.
2. Data Analytics - The trend in using data chips to track player performance metrics creates business opportunities for data analytics companies.
3. Sports Management - The use of real-time data to drive coaching and management decisions presents opportunities for sports management companies to gain a competitive edge.