It's clear that the next wave around sports is the integration of wearable technologies, and apparently it's closer then you may have thought as the NFL just announced they are placing tracking devices in shoulder pads to turn player movement into meaningful data.
Announced earlier today in a press conference, the NFL stated that they will install real-time location systems in 17 of its stadiums around the league this year. The system hopes to track players distance and speed to not only enhance the fans experience by getting them more involved, but also helping teams learn more about their players from a competitive standpoint. Named RFID technology, the system will be integrated at 15 stadiums around the league including Atlanta, Baltimore, Carolina, Chicago, Cincinnati, Denver, Green Bay, Houston, Jacksonville, Miami, New England, Oakland, San Francisco, St. Louis and Washington.
The NFL is doing this in partnership with Zebra Technologies, who tracks everything from player movements to hospital patients to police tickets. While this is just the first implementation of wearable tech around the NFL and all major sports, it's clearly the next big thing as teams are always looking to be one step ahead, and decipher information that'll help players perform better.
[ESPN]
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