NFL will measure first downs with Hawk-Eye with after Sony’s tech agreement

The NFL will use Hawk-Eye technology to measure the first downs in a game, replacing the chain measurements that have become slightly outdated considering the available tech nowadays. The Hawk-Eye tech will be provided by Sony. Sony have partnered with just about every major sport in the world to innovate by using their advanced technology in real time to assist the officiating. The NFL has an established relationship with Sony since 2021 when they adopted the SMART system to combine video feeds from all of the NFL’s broadcast partners in one place. Now they have taken it a step further.

What kind of changes will the NFL implement for the future of the sport?

The NFL is evolving. To everyone’s benefit, the league has considered the ever changing reality of modern day life. The pace and innovations happening in the tech sector daily is unlike anything in history. Sony has been on the forefront of that innovation for generations now. One aspect of their business model that has served the sporting world well is their cameras.

When we consider the range of products that Sony are leading the markets with, we can understand the dominance they have in the sporting world. Sony started producing cameras in the 80’s and since then they have established themselves as a serious competitor in the camera arena. The NFL have been using their cameras in the SMART(Synchronized Multi-Angle Replay Technology) since 2021.

Sony’s incredible 8k cameras have enabled them to dominate the sport sector as they have partnerships with with 23 of the top 25 global sports leagues. Their cameras are used in soccer, tennis Grand Slams, cricket major tournaments and the Rugby World Cup. The sporting world has taken advantage of the advancements in camera technology to assist with the officiating process.

How will the NFL use Sony’s camera’s to assist the officials?

The change comes in the measuring of the first downs. The chain crew have become an icon of the game of football. The tension when the chain crew runs onto the field to measure would have millions of fans on the edge of their seats. That process will now be handled by the new Sony system specifically designed to measure the distance between the ball and first down.

The chain crew will remain on the field in a secondary capacity while the officials make use of the new Sony system being controlled from the NFL’s Art McNally GameDay Central Officiating Center (AMGC) in New York. So the adoption is a seamless and smooth transition that will benefit the sport tremendously. As with other sports, the game of football is taking full advantage of the tech available to them.

After this years annual draft and the drama that it inevitably brings, the NFL and its fans are ready to start the new season. And this year will be the first season to use the new Sony system after conclusive testing took place last year to confirm the technology’s viability. Those tests were obviously successful as the league claims measurements could be up to 60% faster this year.

What will the 2025 season have in store for the NFL and its fans across the world?

The discussion topic right now in the halls of the NFL is all the rookies and their potential. The NFL is evolving along with modern day society. The international expansion has brought a legion of fans into the sport. The standard of officiating in international sport has been improving with the use of these types of systems. Improving fairness and encouraging engagement from the fans. Long gone are the days when fans would debate over a call that changed the outcome of a game due to a mistake on the part of the officials.