NFL to test Optical Tracking for 1st Downs

[Pape]

preseason games gonna be a test run...

do the td/goal line next...

NFL will test optical tracking system to measure for first downs in preseason

The NFL will test an optical tracking system for line-to-gain rulings this preseason, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports.

www.nbcsports.com

 

[Ross12]

Why can’t they just use freaking cameras???

 

[Wozzy]

Now with legalized gambling they go away from the sticks all of a sudden, why not continue using both?

 

[Pape]

Why can’t they just use freaking cameras???

im pretty sure "optical" means its camera related... neither the pfr or the article it linked to explains exactly what the system is...

which really, and maybe its just me, would be a good thing to add to the story... but sports journalism isn't what it used to be...

Now with legalized gambling they go away from the sticks all of a sudden, why not continue using both?

the are going to keep the chain gang on the sideline, at least for now... a back up plan is a good thing to have in case the tech fails...

 

[Ross12]

Another question I have - the optical tracking system helps to measure if it made the line-to-gain, but I don't see how this stops a ref from giving a horribly bad spot. The ref is still eyeballing where to place the ball down, then they're using technology to measure where he placed it based on "feelings". Doesn't make a lot of sense.

 

[Pape]

Another question I have - the optical tracking system helps to measure if it made the line-to-gain, but I don't see how this stops a ref from giving a horribly bad spot. The ref is still eyeballing where to place the ball down, then they're using technology to measure where he placed it based on "feelings". Doesn't make a lot of sense.

not sure how it will work... but if it looks like the ball reaches the line of gain, and the ref is gonna screw it up, maybe New York will set off their shock collars... which should probably be part of the ref's uniform at this point... do something stupid? aaaaaannnnddd buzzzzzzzzz

 

[SlowGettingUp]

The ref is still eyeballing where to place the ball down

Fair amount of judgement in the spot. Forward progress, when the runner was actually down and where the ball was at that time, and so on. So hard to automate.

 

[signbabybrady]

 

[Real fan 02]

preseason games gonna be a test run...

do the td/goal line next...

NFL will test optical tracking system to measure for first downs in preseason

The NFL will test an optical tracking system for line-to-gain rulings this preseason, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports.

www.nbcsports.com

Gonna be very interesting say the least... how many more or less 1st downs are made during games this season if implemented

 

[Steve102]

preseason games gonna be a test run...

do the td/goal line next...

NFL will test optical tracking system to measure for first downs in preseason

The NFL will test an optical tracking system for line-to-gain rulings this preseason, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports.

www.nbcsports.com

This sounds amazing. What could possibly go wrong?

 

[203Pat]

Insane that a multibillion business that micromanages the smallest aspects still relies on 60 something year old men with sticks and chains.

 

[jmt57]

The thing that I found so hypocritical at a very young age was that the measurement was supposedly so precise and exaact, to 1/32 of an inch - but everything up to that point was just eyeballed, give or take a few inches.

If approximate eyeballing was good enough after first and second down, why wasn't it also good enough after third down?

And let's not get started on ball placement after an out of bounds punt. Is it possible to be more imprecise?

 

[PancakeBlockPaul]

You’d think with the rfid and cameras they have AND live crew it would be enough but like Woz said it’s the gambling.

 

[BTTA]

You’d think with the rfid and cameras they have AND live crew it would be enough but like Woz said it’s the gambling.

Can someone explain to me at fifth grade level what this has to do with gambling?

 

[Huckleberry1]

preseason games gonna be a test run...

do the td/goal line next...

NFL will test optical tracking system to measure for first downs in preseason

The NFL will test an optical tracking system for line-to-gain rulings this preseason, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports.

www.nbcsports.com

Not sure if this is similar to the VAR used in tennis and soccer, but those systems have worked well in both sports. That said I agree with Wozzy that the sticks should remain.

 

[captain stone]

Spotting the football relative to the Line to Gain is probably my biggest peeve - other than RTP & DPI, naturally - with the corruptibly incompetent zebras; so anything that can help in this matter would be really...helpful.

 

[SlowGettingUp]

Spotting the football relative to the Line to Gain is probably my biggest peeve

Well forward progress you can likely do automatically given they have a chip in the ball. But note it's reportedly only accurate to about 6 inches.

But you still have to synchronize that data with when the runner is down. So likely something you could do on replay, but not on the fly.

At some point an AI system could do it though given access to multiple camera angles.

 

[1960Pats]

not sure how it will work... but if it looks like the ball reaches the line of gain, and the ref is gonna screw it up, maybe New York will set off their shock collars... which should probably be part of the ref's uniform at this point... do something stupid? aaaaaannnnddd buzzzzzzzzz

I actually thought along those lines for baseball. Why not have a small beep go off in the HPU's ear when the pitch hits the strike zone?

My feeling is that all sports should use technology if it gives us the right calls.

 

[Ian]

Should be interesting to see how this goes:

NFL's technology to measure for first downs will get a tryout in some preseason games

New first-down technology will be used in some preseason games.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[Pape]

This has been out there fir awhile now... Pretty sure there us a thread about it.