Sorry, I just spent three days among Android developers, and they used to be all about phones and tablets, but now the same operating system runs on Google Glass, smartwatches, and drones. Plus the meteoric rise of companies like FanDual and DraftKings, showing how much money can be made, there’s going to be a huge push for more data, and more personalized data. So, here’s how my people are going to ruin your game.
Adapt Google Glass to the inside of a player’s helmet, just like they’re trying out in the military, now. Short-term gains will be communication between the coach and players, and between the players themselves. The advantages of this should be obvious, but think a bit deeper than that. Think about what your phone does with navigation: your speed is measured, you’re warned of obstacles, and you’re re-routed if there’s an obstruction. Now imagine you’re the quarterback with a HUD inside your helmet, painting your guys that are open in green or blue, the guys rushing you in yellow, orange, and red (depending on proximity). All of which is being transmitted, saved, and shared in real-time to the NFL server.
Make the football “smart” by embedding the guts of an Android phone inside. Same data feeding back as to speed, mapping, connected or in play. Make a hummingbird sized drone programmed to do two things, follow the ball from three meters away (I’m evil! Using “meters” in a conversation about American Football that measures everything in yards. Evil!), and avoid the humans. You don’t want to make this thingie too smart, though. You want it to be able to smack into a goalpost or take some damage once it leaves the boundaries of the field. That just makes for good television…
So, it’s Sunday. The Cowboys are playing in Chicago, but you’re FFL is playing in Denver. “Virtual” Romo is on-line and transmitting biometric data; he’s running a fever, but insists he’s okay to play, and the coach says ‘go play.’ How does that alter your game plan for the day? You think the stat-nerds are a pain to deal with now - just wait until they get some real data! Expect a game to be called, accurately, within the first five minutes.
Now, let’s talk about making the NFL some money. There’s a five minute commercial break on traditional TV. The players are rehydrating, breathing, boring-boring-boring! Making no money at all. How about a three minute Skype interview, or just a chance for you to talk with your favorite player? How about the coach, or the owner? Hell, you’ve been screaming at the TV for years what he needs to be doing, but they never listened. All you gotta do to make your voice heard, to make a difference, is to enter your credit authorization here. And you know your team needs you.
While we’re at it, let’s talk about some corporate sponsorship. Right now, Apple could buy the NFL. Not just a team, they could buy the whole NFL; lock, stock, and barrel. Amazon constantly throws money away on tech that doesn’t work out. Hewlett-Packard killed their mobile device platform after having it in stores for only a month! Google, literally, has a Project Loon. What if one of these companies turned around tomorrow and bought Direct TV? As far as I know, Direct TV is the only one with the insane licensing deal that they get to show all of the NFL games, without restriction. “Welcome to NFL Wednesday Night, brought to by Microsoft. Download the Microsoft Direct TV app for streaming in real-time or replay later, this, or any other NFL game.” Never happen? Well, no. Right now, I’ve got T-Mobile with 5GB per month. I usually use around 3GB, but only because streaming music from Google Music, Spotify, Apple Music, or Pandora doesn't count against that data. Ten years ago? Unthinkable. Even a team that doesn’t make it to the Superbowl all that often, like the aforementioned Cowboys, are still generating a nice profit. So, why wouldn’t they?
If any of this seems far-fetched to you, keep in mind that a lot of the guys who have the money to buy a team these days got their start running technology businesses. Mark Cuban, Steve Balmer, and Paul Allen spring to mind, and I’m the guy who more interested in what I’m eating at the local Hooters, rather than what’s on the TV.
The technology is already there, it’s just a matter of working out who gets paid what for the privilege.