Zebra App Will Take NFL Viewers Into The Next Generation

Good news for avid football fans, a new Zebra app will take NFL viewers into the next generation by implanting motion tracking chips into the gear of player’s shoulder pads. It will allow for an entirely new different look upon the game as it’s happening this upcoming season in September.

At first, the practical reason behind the device was for sport only, to determine the speed, length of travel or positions of the players on the field during practices by coaches, but with the help of Microsoft, it’s getting a new use. The NFL has decided to make all the data collected during a game available to fans through the upcoming Next Generation Stats and Replays app.

Through it, football fans will be able to see vector based movements across a digital field, not unlike those found in videogames. They will be able to watch their favorite plays again, with an ample amount of information and a sleek design that is set to change the scene of sports apps.

Each player will be designated an icon on the field, an avatar, a vector and their patterns, speed, distance of travel, along with a few other statistics that will be displayed on the screen. Viewers will be able to switch between them and follow the player they find most interesting. Along with the digital representation, the live game will be displayed on the right side, so nothing will be missed.

The team’s stats, movement and field position will be available for viewing at around 3 to 7 minutes after it’s live on our screens, so it will essentially allow you to view the Xs and Os of every game with numerous graphical information and display.

Here’s the catch though: the Next Generation Stats and Replays app will be available exclusively for Microsoft products, such as Windows 10 and Xbox One. At the very least for this season, given that Microsoft is a huge investor in the NFL, with a $400 million five-year deal between the two.

The app will become available for the public before the next season kicks off and football fans who own a Microsoft device are in for a treat. It will allow users to pick their favorite team and provide them with quick, real-time updates.

It seems that, these days, video games are looking more like reality, and reality in turn is taking notes from videogames. There’s only a matter of time before we reach the happy middle.

Image source: wired.com