The Super Bowl is an amazing event for football fans across the country. There is a lot of technology that goes behind the event to ensure that millions of fans, both within the stadium and outside, have an incredible experience. Here is a look at some of that cutting-edge technology.
The NFL partnered up with various technology giants this year in order to make the Super Bowl as excellent as it was. Intel supplied immersive replays using their latest HD cameras, allowing there to be 3D replays in real time – they deployed between 30 and 50 high-end 5K cameras for this. Intel also had drones in the air to capture the game from different views. 300 of these drones were used last year to create a light show above Lady Gaga’s halftime show. NBC also deployed 130 microphones and more than 50 miles of cable in order to cover the broadcast!
The stadium, on the other hand, was equipped with 1,300 wi-fi spots, powered by Cisco’s Connected Stadium Wi-Fi, enabling fans within the stadium to connect with others within the stadium and share content. The stadium also had close monitoring on 365 doors and thousands of TV screens to ensure safety along with entertainment.
Securonet, a Minneapolis startup, was also a major part of Super Bowl LII, following their debut last year. Securonet helps law enforcement with controlling major events through live streaming and GPS tracking for officers, allowing public safety officials to quickly move through large crowds of people.
Philips Lighting hosted a week-long light show leading up to the Super Bowl, beautifully lighting up the Saint Anthony Falls Bridge. They also had color pairings that were used when each team scored, and the bridge turned red every time a team entered the red zone.
StubHub, one of the websites used to purchase tickets for the game, had an augmented reality version of the stadium, which allowed users to view their seats before selecting them. Fans within the stadium could also play augmented reality games created by Virtex Arena!
Though the focus of the Super Bowl will always remain football and its human players, there is a plethora of new and upcoming technology that increases the appeal (and security) of the event every year!