NFL plans Hawk-Eye virtual first down for 2025

[ROD-BOT]

NFL plans Hawk-Eye virtual first down for 2025

NFL endorses Hawk-Eye virtual first down measurement for 2025 season

www.sportsbusinessjournal.com

NFL plans Hawk-Eye virtual first down for 2025​

The NFL is set to leave the chain gang on the sideline and will plan to adopt Hawk-Eye’s camera-based virtual measurement system starting in the 2025 season.

In a media session at the NFL Combine, the league’s football operations department revealed the plan, noting that the average line-to-gain measurement with the human-carried chains took 75 seconds where Hawk-Eye cameras accomplished the same in 30 seconds during last fall’s testing phase. The virtual system was used in the 2024 preseason and in the background of regular season games. At least six 8K cameras are used for that purpose in every stadium.

Human officials will continue to spot the ball at the end of each play, but Hawk-Eye will expedite the determination whether a first down was gained or not. An average of 12 measurements are made each across the NFL.

The NFL indicated that on-field officiating procedures would be finalized this offseason as the technicians who will operate the virtual measurement system receive training during the UFL’s spring schedule. Graphics to be displayed in the stadium and on the broadcasts will be tested during the preseason, as will a possible smartwatch integration. The chain gang will remain at each game as a backup measurement option.

Hawk-Eye already automates in/out calls in tennis, assists NBA referees with goaltending and is powering MLB’s automated ball-strike system in spring training. Its parent company, Sony, began a formal technology partnership with the NFL last summer.

 

[kurtfaulk]

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Why can't hawkeye tell us exactly where the ball finished during the play? If the ref gives a bad spot how is that helping anything?

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[Q729]

Same question people asked when the UFL was using it last Spring. It just saves the time it takes to drag the chains out for a measurement.

 

[So Ram]

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Why can't hawkeye tell us exactly where the ball finished during the play? If the ref gives a bad spot how is that helping anything?

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You still have replay.

KC would have lost to Buffalo with that.The Ref & replay was that bad.

 

[Mojo Ram]

NFL “We’re utilizing the latest technology and innovation to improve and enhance the modern game of football(for the casual fan).

However, we have no intentions of removing the many existing abilities to massage games in order to appease the networks and the powerful companies/entities that own/influence them.”

 

[So Ram]

NFL “We’re utilizing the latest technology and innovation to improve and enhance the modern game of football(for the casual fan).

However, we have no intentions of removing the many existing abilities to massage games in order to appease the networks and the powerful companies/entities that own/influence them.”

When does the NFL get there crypto coin with God-del on it

 

[thirteen28]

NFL “We’re utilizing the latest technology and innovation to improve and enhance the modern game of football(for the casual fan).

However, we have no intentions of removing the many existing abilities to massage games in order to appease the networks and the powerful companies/entities that own/influence them.”

Blue font wasn't necessary here.

 

[Corbin]

I'm not sure but fuckery can be added with this digital system as well.

 

[Tumak61]

The chain system was always iffy. This new system should be more accurate. Lots of mistakes get made with ball placement.

 

[Merlin]

Tech has been there for more than a decade to triangulate ball location in real time. Sensor on each end of the ball inside it, directional antennae around the grid, they can put that fucker to a red c*nt hair of where forward progress stopped.

But hey let's just have more cameras so we can play second guessing games instead.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I don’t understand why they can’t have a chip in the nose of each end of the ball and track it that way instead of visually.

 

[dieterbrock]

But hey let's just have more cameras so we can play second guessing games instead.

Boy, aint that the truth!!

 

[Mackeyser]

Tech has been there for more than a decade to triangulate ball location in real time. Sensor on each end of the ball inside it, directional antennae around the grid, they can put that fucker to a red c*nt hair of where forward progress stopped.

But hey let's just have more cameras so we can play second guessing games instead.

And the balls ALREADY have 6 RFID tags inside…one on each end and four around the middle. Been that way for several years

 

[VeteranRamFan]

And the balls ALREADY have 6 RFID tags inside…one on each end and four around the middle. Been that way for several years

I never heard of that. I know players have them in their shoulder pads I believe (or at least some players). What, if you know, are these tags in the football used for?

 

[Mackeyser]

I never heard of that. I know players have them in their shoulder pads I believe (or at least some players). What, if you know, are these tags in the football used for?

Physics of the ball for now. Velo, spin rate…stuff like that. Some of the NextGen stat stuff. I mean, when they determine velocity in real time and we know they don’t have the camera system in place, yet, then they had to be getting that data from somewhere. I don’t remember if it was Goodell or someone else from the NFL, but I recently saw a clip of them describing the sensors in the ball.

 

[VeteranRamFan]

Physics of the ball for now. Velo, spin rate…stuff like that. Some of the NextGen stat stuff. I mean, when they determine velocity in real time and we know they don’t have the camera system in place, yet, then they had to be getting that data from somewhere. I don’t remember if it was Goodell or someone else from the NFL, but I recently saw a clip of them describing the sensors in the ball.

Thank you. Good explanation. Makes sense.

 

[rdlkgliders]

I don’t understand why they can’t have a chip in the nose of each end of the ball and track it that way instead of visually.

This was my first instinct as well.
After I thought about it you would have to incorporate the ref and the whistle as a time frame for when the play actually was dead to the fraction.
Say the play is 4th and 1 for example where the players pile up.
You would need to be certain at the point the players pile is dead where was the ball at that exact moment or it is feasible for the players to manipulate the progress.
Also where was the knee or other body part when the play was over in relation to the ball

In many cases this will help expedite but not in those cases that have great impact on the game

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

This was my first instinct as well.
After I thought about it you would have to incorporate the ref and the whistle as a time frame for when the play actually was dead to the fraction.
Say the play is 4th and 1 for example where the players pile up.
You would need to be certain at the point the players pile is dead where was the ball at that exact moment or it is feasible for the players to manipulate the progress.
Also where was the knee or other body part when the play was over in relation to the ball

In many cases this will help expedite but not in those cases that have great impact on the game

Yeah. This system relies on camera angles and in many cases a ref or camera cannot see where the ball is the entire duration of the play.

 

[brucebruce]

I'm not sure but fuckery can be added with this digital system as well.

if someone believes this, why watch the sport?

 

[Classic Rams]

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Why can't hawkeye tell us exactly where the ball finished during the play? If the ref gives a bad spot how is that helping anything?

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Yeah this. Also can that tech detect when the knee first goes down? That was always my issue with spots. It looks like a first but then the knee is actually down. Also with holding the ball out running out of bounds I always think back to the Hekker vs Saints bullshit.