5 Game-Changing Tech Innovations for Sports Fans Technology and sports go hand-in-hand, both sides pushing the other to innovate and improve.
For most families, fall means back-to-school.
But it's so much more than that for sports fans. For jersey-wearing, fantasy trophy-toting super fans, the changing leaves, shorter days and colder nights make for the busiest sports season of the year. By mid-October, the NHL and NBA seasons will be underway, we'll be weeks into football season, and baseball's pennant race will be in the rearview mirror as the playoffs heat up.
There was a time when it was hard to watch your favorite team. Out of market games might as well have been airing on another planet, and tape-delays lasted far longer than they should have. Today, however, technology has made it easy to be a sports fan, and that's truer by the day.
LG Electronics is a company that's making strides in sports viewing technology — especially in the home theatre. According to Gilles Pereira, Go-To-Market Training Manager at LG Electronics Canada, LG is driven by the "singular purpose of bringing the best viewing experience to customers." Whether that's developing displays with richer, more stunning color or crafting soundbars with state-of-the-art surround sound and Bluetooth connectivity, they're committed to enhancing the sports fan's experience.
Whether you're a season ticket holder or have a dedicated cheering section in your basement, here are some technological breakthroughs you need to know about as a sports fan.
1. Player tracking
We're far enough into the future now that even our jerseys have gone digital. Here's what that means: leagues like the NHL and NBA have started experimenting with microchipped jerseys, which not only give fans another all-access look into their favorite athletes, but can be used by teams to track and enhance performance and training. Similarly, the NFL's popular Next Gen Stats rely on microchips in the players' shoulder pads to relay information like sprinting speed to broadcasts.
2. More cameras, more choices
TV screens have gotten bigger, but the cameras used to shoot what's displayed on them haven't followed suit. In 2016, the NHL introduced the Ref Cam, which puts the viewer directly into the action through a small camera strapped to the referee's helmet. Meanwhile, the NBA has experimented with choose-your-own feed broadcasting, letting fans decide not only between viewing angles, but also cameras focusing solely on following their favorite players.
3. Enhanced picture quality means no trail necessary
When broadcasters experimented with an effect that made the hockey puck glow with a neon trail, it wasn't just for show. When the much-maligned FoxTrax system was introduced in 1996, TVs were still broadcasting in standard, 480p definition, which, at 640×480, is less than half of your smartphone's — trust us when we say the quality was worse than you're remembering. That meant the trail tracker was necessary to help even diehard fans keep track of the action.
But today, TVs are sharper (and smarter) than ever. Select LG OLED TVs are equipped with advanced a9 (Alpha9) intelligent processors which allow the viewer to experience enhanced image rendering and more accurate color from virtually every angle. Following the puck has never been easier. In fact, these screens are so sharp that you can actually see your favorite player's skates leave slashes in the ice.
"The OLED TV lets you enjoy the widest viewing angles with no loss of contrast or distortion of color, meaning you have clear, sharp picture from any angle. This is especially important in the everyday home, as not every seat is going to be directly in front of the screen," explains Pereira.
4. Ask and you shall receive
As TV technology has evolved, so has our ability to navigate their systems. The era of the smart assistant has made it to your living room. Certain LG OLED TVs are equipped with AI that allows you to quickly and easily access TV content with just the sound of your voice. And this smart TV feature isn't just limited to playing shows, either — it can also tell you the weather, launch your game consoles and change to cinema mode for a more immersive viewing experience. This means you'll never have to scroll through endless menus to get to the game again.
5. The Green Zone
The digitally superimposed yellow first down marker changed how football fans watched games. Now, 20 years later, broadcasters are looking for its evolution; and with the "Green Zone," they think they've found it. Currently still a Sunday Night Football experiment, the Green Zone darkens a portion of the field to represent the stretch between the line of scrimmage and the first down. It's subtle but effective, especially with LG's True Color Accuracy Pro, which shows colors so true to life, you'll think you're outside.
It makes no difference whether you're an athlete or just an avid watcher. Technology and sports go hand-in-hand, both sides pushing the other to innovate and improve. As you're readying to root for your team this fall, keep an eye on breakthroughs like these; they're making watching the sports you love better than ever.