Advancing technology has always been prevalent in the evolution of sport. Tennis racquets, once composed from a wooden frame and animal gut strings, have transformed to graphite bodies and nylon strings, allowing for faster swing speed, better balance, and higher durability. Soccer cleats, originating in Henry's Great Wardrobe of 1526, were comprised of a heavy leather, high-ankle design. The relatively recent discovery of extremely lightweight and surprisingly strong polymers allow for modern cleats that weight a mere few ounces. The advancement of equipment technology has affected a majority of sports by enhancing athletic performance, and increasing user accessibility. Accompanying the implementation of new technology arises a resistance from spectators and governing bodies who wish to protect the integrity of sport and decelerate drastic change. Over the past two decades, the merger of computers and sport has allowed for unprecedented levels of analysis, increasing amounts of accessibility and player/fan interaction, and in some cases, a spike in the accuracy of officiating. This blog intends to discuss the pros and cons of this merger.
Since its widespread application, computing technology has now found a home in the athletic community. From a fan's perspective, sports enthusiasts are now able to get closer to the action than ever before with the aid of high-definition televisions and cameras, the use of player mics, and the in depth analysis software used by sports networks such as ESPN. You no longer have attend an event to enjoy the leisure of sport as many aspects of HD television coverage, including player close-ups, instant replay, and pre and post-game analysis is preferable to unpredictable weather, high ticket prices, and stadium seating. Player mics allow viewers a first person perspective into their favorite athlete's exclamations of elation or defeat while directional parabolic microphones provide the crushing sound of helmet-to-helmet contact, or the squeaks of basketball shoes on wooden court. Despite the increased accessibility and lifelike portrayal that HD television coverage presents, it comes at cost to both the at home view and the game attendee in the form of advertisement.
Network coverage and viewer traffic has created a lucrative medium for advertising companies. American football, a sport that was intended to endure for a little over an hour, can now consume over 4 hours of an afternoon with the addition of commercial breaks and television analysis. It can be difficult for a view to get immersed into a game that is broken up often by commercial advertisements. The athletic condition of the players, as well as emotional momentum are are also affected by the frequent breaks of play. Soccer, which has generally maintained its fluidity and uninterrupted play, is, however, littered with onscreen advertisements ranging from print on player's jerseys to giant LCD screens that surround the field. This has become very discouraging and distracting for many viewers.
Sports Analysis is another field that has been greatly affected by recently emerging technologies. Sports analyst networks, coaches, trainers, and even players are now using a variety of equipment that allows for insightful performance testing not possible before.
ESPN has been using analysis tools such as LiberoVision, to provide in-game 3D replays, fast playbook analysis, and a 360 degree field of vision. The actions of each individual player, their motives, and their mistakes can be tracked and presented in a means more in depth than ever before. Analysts can now convey their expertise more effectively to the viewers through this recent software implementation. Coaches, recruiters, and trainers are utilizing a variety of testing technologies such as GPS tracking devices (Catapult), in-shoe pedometers, and body motion trackers to aid in picking players and boosting efficiency. Many NFL teams are using a Melbourne base company called Catapult that specialized in indoor GPS tracking. Player positions are determined within 15 centimeters, as well as athlete acceleration, distance covered, speed, explosion times, exertion, hitting force, and every other imaginable piece of data on a player's specific movements. All of this valuable data can be provided by a small monitor mounted between the shoulder blades. This technology also helps trainers to track player's "at-home" workout routines.
Similar technology is provided in athletic shoes such as cleats or running wear and is available for amateur athletes to buy at reasonable prices. Nike and Adidas both provide cleats and shoes with the capability of tracking devices that record distance traveled, calories burned, time intervals, and even more specialized data like shots taken and average speed. This information can be uploaded to a computer via the USB port and then displayed on the provided software. There is now a device that personalizes music selections based on heart rate monitors and MP3 players. By monitoring runners' heart rates before, during, and after exercise, the IM4Sports system can create unique personal training programs that are designed for desired workouts and heart rates. If a runner wants to boost a race finishing time, the music will shift to higher beats per minute and more energy. These are just a few of the many technologies that athletes are using to enhance their physical ability and athletic experience.
Lastly, a wide variety of software and innovative technology is being used my many sports organizations as a means of increasing the accuracy of officiating and the level of fairness between competing factions. Two popular examples include the addition of tennis's Hawk Eye Technology, which can track a balls movement within millimeters, and also soccer's goal line technology, which dictates whether the ball crossed the goal line in its entirety. Both technologies arose out of concerns that human error in terms of officiating decisions. Hawk Eye is comprised of a complex computer targeting system that involved ten high-speed cameras placed evenly around a tennis court. These cameras capture the movement of a tennis ball from multiple angles and send that information to a computer. The info is then processed by mathematical equations so that the exact landing spot of the ball can be pinpointed. The system for soccer is set up much the same way. Controversy surrounds the use of Hawk Eye technology as many tennis advocates say that it takes the "human" aspect and error away from the game. The American Tennis Association has limited the amount of times each player can use the Hawk Eye Technology to three call challenges per set.
The following blog provides just a few of the many ways in which computers are being implemented into sports. Although this relatively new technology greatly enhances many aspects of sport, there still remains much controversy as to where the line should be drawn.
-Andrew Mason
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