This week in Gridiron Tech, we take a look at some of the movers and shakers in the football industry, including one industry giant who decided to enter the eSports arena, a NFL quarterback who has invested in multiple technology products and a new platform for players to conduct their post-game press conferences.

FanDuel and beyond: About a decade ago, I was attending a Sports Business Technology Conference in New York City and bumped into a gentleman by the name of Nigel Eccles. He was quick to slide me his business card and his accent suggested that he surely wasn’t from the States, but he was eager to tell me about his great new fantasy football concept. The fantasy football market was in the midst of a boom and there were many competitors. I remember walking away from the conversation thinking that he just might have a fighter’s chance. Well, he had much more than that! There was one minor detail that he implemented, which turned out to be significantly different than all the others. His fantasy football game featured weekly competitions and the ability to re-draft a new team, or multiple teams each week. The website was called FanDuel. I mention this story because even though the market was extremely saturated at the time, Eccles had the vision to offer something unique to the consumer. This past week, at age 42, he stepped down as CEO of the industry giant so that he can pursue his next opportunity in the eSports arena. I’m confident that Eccles and his new eSports venture will be a sure bet.

Helmet gets help: With the type of momentum that Seattle-based Vicis is generating on the gridiron, you wonder why the high-tech football helmet, which was founded in 2014, has not yet been fully integrated into the NFL. The helmet is designed to mitigate the forces thought to cause concussions. This season, players from more than 15 NFL teams and 20 NCAA football programs are wearing the helmet. One of those players is Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, who loves the product so much he decided to invest in it. Wilson participated in a $7 million round led by The Peregrine Group. Total funding in Vicis is now close to $50 million. This is not the first technology venture that has drawn Wilson’s cash. Just last month, he was part of a funding round led by Jeff Bezos for his new app, TraceMe.

#Verified Arrives: The Players Tribune has rolled out its new show #Verified, which airs exclusively on Twitter, Monday nights at 7:30pm EST. The program is intended to be a next-gen press conference that connects athletes directly with their fans and provides interesting commentary from a side rarely shown— directly from the players themselves. Twitter users can submit questions using the hashtag #VerifiedTPT. The first episode featured Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green. Other players scheduled to appear on the lineup include Mohamed Sanu of the Falcons and T.J. Watt of the Steelers. For more info, visit here.

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Welcome to Gridiron Tech, a weekly column highlighting the latest technology trends and how they’re impacting the football industry. In this edition, we take a look at how Sports Illustrated and ESPN are turning their attention to online video programming, plus a look at the newest NFL tourist attraction that is lighting up Times Square. 

SI dives into Amazon: Earlier this year, Sports Illustrated slashed its editorial staff in an attempt to shift its sports coverage from articles to predominantly video. Now, it’s launching an independent online video channel. Starting Nov. 16, Time, Inc., is launching Sports Illustrated TV (SITV) as its first-ever OTT channel available on Amazon. For $4.99 per month, viewers will be able to access 130 hours of movies, documentaries and original content programming. Original SITV shows will include, The Vault, SI: Under the Cover, and original weekly studio shows The Crossover, Planet Futbol and The Line. Oscar-nominated and award-winning sports filmmaker Mike Tollin, co-chair of Mandalay Sports Media, and 10-time Emmy winner Jonathan Hock have also been hired to produce two different sports documentary projects slated for 2018. The channel is available at Amazon.com/amazonchannels.

SportsCenter goes Snapchat: The jockeying for online digital platforms continues as ESPN has announced that its flagship show, SportsCenter, will now be available on Snapchat via their mobile app. The show will vary from its TV counterpart as hosts will dress more casually and program content will target the under 25-demographic. The move comes at a time where ESPN is trying to figure out how to stop the bleeding from losing online cable subscribers, while Snap Inc., struggles to meet Wall Street growth expectations since its initial public offering in March. “A year ago we launched Snapchat shows, and currently have 30 to date,” said Sean Mills, Snapchat’s Head of Original Content. “We really wanted to reimagine SportsCenter for a new generation, while still keeping the DNA that makes the show what it is. In today’s world, especially with the younger generations, the ‘mobile screen is the first screen,’ and we’re making a significant investment in producing content for this medium.” Daily episodes will vary in length between 3-5 minutes and are scheduled to air at 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET during the week and 5 a.m. ET on the weekends. 

Times Square welcomes NFL Experience: If you live in New York or are visiting for the holidays, be sure to check out the much-anticipated NFL Experience, which opens its doors this week in a partnership with Cirque du Soleil, which produces and operates the attraction. The project took 12 weeks of careful planning before construction could even begin, and now is composed of a 38,000-square-foot attraction housed in a 39-story, mixed-use high-rise. It includes a 188-seat, 4-D movie theater with motion-capable seats and weather effects that simulate NFL experiences from the athlete’s standpoint. The space also hosts interactive exhibits and simulated training drills, including running back and tackle challenges and a touchdown dance photo op that can be televised on a 2,120-square-foot digital display in Times Square. While the attraction is designed to draw fans to its interactive displays and technology features, its main purpose is to capitalize on the 26 million visitors who pass through the tourist section of the Big Apple each year. NFL memorabilia and merchandise will be on sale, in addition to food and beverage stands.

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This week in Gridiron Tech news, we take a look at how mainstream media outlets such as CBS and ESPN are preparing for the online streaming apocalypse, plus a breakdown of why Twitter has decided to take a plunge into the world of 280 character limits.

CBS goes livestream 24/7: In a move that is sure to be emulated by its competitors, CBS Chief Executive Officer Leslie Moonves announced the launch of CBS Sports HQ. The new 24/7 livestream sports channel is expected to launch in the coming months and helps offset the alarming rate of cord-cutters while positioning CBS to compete for digital rights against rivals such as Amazon and Facebook. The licensing rights for obtaining exclusive sports content are soaring, which is why CBS Sports is preparing for what some are calling “the roaring twenties” of exclusive livestream sports packages. “What we see is an appetite of demand for consumers that want news and highlights of sports where we see a void in the marketplace,” CBS Chief Operating Officer Joseph Ianniello. “They want it on their terms, on their time. So we’re going to give that to them. We think the demographic is very attractive for advertising.”

Networks strike new cord: Not sold yet on the Over The Top (OTT) sports movement? According to a new survey by the Consumer Technology Association, more households are cutting the cord in 2017 than ever before. Over 1.5M households have cancelled their cable subscriptions through the first three quarters of the year. That’s a significant number which is only expected to increase further next year. The report also states that nearly 70% of Americans now subscribe to some sort of streaming service. The new evidence is forcing companies such as the aforementioned CBS to change the way they do business and shift their focus toward online streaming. Want more proof? ESPN also just announced preliminary plans to launch a stand-alone sports streaming service in 2018. It will not stream the same live content it shows on cable TV. Instead, it opens the door of opportunity for sports leagues to license some of their out-of-market games, which MLB has already agreed to do. It seems like every major media outlet is now angling to be a major player in obtaining exclusive rights to more livestream sports packages.

Twitter doubles down: Get used to longer Tweets. The much-anticipated move by Twitter to double the maximum user character count from 140 to 280 has officially taken full effect. According to a company blogpost, nine percent of tweets were reaching the maximum of 140 characters. During testing of the new 280-character limit, just one percent of tweets hit the max. The move is designed to make it easier for people to fit thoughts into a tweet so they can say what they want and send Tweets faster than before, which is great for reporters.

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Welcome to the Gridiron Tech blog here at Succeed In Football, where we keep tabs on how the latest technology is impacting the football world. 

Pack pays back with tech: In a partnership with Microsoft, the Green Bay Packers have invested $5 million dollars towards building a new “Titletown Tech” facility near Lambeau Field. The project is geared towards boosting the growth of startup tech companies in the community and helping revitalize the local economy. Green Bay CEO Mark Murphy acknowledged that the new facility would have a great economic impact in the region. “Titletown has gained a tremendously impactful partner in Microsoft,” Murphy said in a released statement. “Economic development is the key to our region’s future, and Microsoft, with its array of tools and expertise, will help grow new businesses as well as assist our existing companies to use technology to realize greater success.” The decision to move closer towards the technology era for the Packers, who are the only publicly owned NFL franchise, has been welcomed by the fans of Green Bay. With the emergence of eSports and technology in the NFL, it wouldn’t be surprising if more teams followed suit in years to come.

IOC considers eSports: Speaking of eSports, the rapid movement involving the sport of video games is gaining major momentum, not just in the football community but in the global sports world. Representatives recently met to discuss the role of eSports in future Olympic events and how implementing the “sport” could help generate increased interest amongst millennials. We have seen NFL owners such as Robert Kraft (Patriots), Stan Kroenke (Rams) and Jerry Jones (Cowboys) invest up to $20 million each for an eSports franchise. This past April, the University of Utah became the first Power Five school to offer a varsity eSports program. For those of you who thought playing Madden Football on the latest console was all fun and games, it may be time to change how we perceive eSports.

Big Ten embraces live streaming: The emergence of online streaming content deals has been well documented in this column, as we have examined the impact of the AmazonPrime TNF package. We have also seen the Mountain West Conference and Conference USA strike deals on the collegiate level. Add the Big Ten to the growing list of NCAA conferences looking to capitalize on livestream licensing rights. The announced partnership with FloSports is a four-year deal that will grant FloSports the exclusive right to livestream over 1,000 events (that otherwise wouldn’t be televised) on their subscription-based online service. While many of the B1G football games are televised, the conference intends to make other sporting events more accessible on FloSports, with channels such as FloWrestling, FloTrack, FloVolleyball and FloHoops. While livestream deals initially took some time to catch on, you can be sure that every sport, conference and event will have some sort of online content licensing agreement in place by this time next year. Failure to do so would mean ignoring an entire new revenue stream that is currently exploding.

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Last week here at the Gridiron Tech blog, we examined how five NFL franchises have become early adapters to augmented reality (AR) technology. In this edition, we learn that yet another team has incorporated AR into its stadium, plus we take a look at how virtual reality (VR) played a role in Syracuse’s upset of Clemson and an update on the latest Amazon Prime figures for the Thursday Night Football livestream package.

Niners embrace AR: San Francisco has redefined the meaning of a souvenir cup. Earlier this month, in a partnership with ampm convenience stores, the team began selling augmented reality souvenir cups at Levi Stadium. Fans who download the 49ers team app are then able to hold their mobile device over the cup and watch San Francisco Super Bowl highlights or player videos. In addition to the content available via the cups, fans also receive 49-cent fountain refills at participating ampm locations all season long. It’s the latest attempt by organizations to keep fans more engaged when they attend a sporting event. This initiative incorporates new technology while also collecting fans’ personal info so the team can entice with future offerings.

Virtual Reality goes Orange: After knocking off the defending champion Clemson Tigers, the Syracuse Orangemen can also stake claim as the top football program in the nation to utilize virtual reality. Those lucky fans unable to attend the game and storm the field after the win can now relive the moment in VR. That’s because the game was captured by cameras in full 360-degrees, which gives fans a complete view of everything occurring in the stadium, as if they were sitting in the front row. In 2015, the Orange partnered with EON Sports to implement VR training for their players. Starting quarterback Eric Dungey has been using the technology for additional preparation. “It’s basically like going through practice again,” Dungey said. “I love going through practice. I love practicing so it’s basically like doing that all over again, but it’s easier on the body. You know, you kind of just get mental reps.” The extra practice paid off, as Dungey totaled 339 yards and three touchdowns in the victory over the Tigers.

Amazon Prime results are in: We have previously chronicled the TNF livestream experiment by Amazon Prime in this space and wanted to provide an interesting update on its reach and impact. Through four simulcasts, the e-commerce giant has an average minute audience (AMA) of 374K viewers with an average viewing time of 51.25 minutes, according to this report. Each game reached viewers in more than 180 countries. Amazon continues to be aggressive in the marketplace, acquiring the video rights to ATP tennis in UK and audio feeds for Bundesliga soccer games. The next move for the NFL could be to offer the TNF package as a multi-year deal, which would be very appealing to the Amazon brand. We will continue to provide updates on the latest livestream deals as they develop.

Be sure to check back at Succeed In Football for more Gridiron Tech reports and news on how to get ahead in the football world. If you already work in football and want more industry insider information, check out www.InsideTheLeague.com.

Gridiron Tech is a weekly feature here at Succeed In Football that takes a look into how technology is influencing the football landscape. In this edition, we investigate how NFL teams are utilizing new fan engagement technologies to help enhance the ‘stadium experience’ and creating software aimed at attracting loyal fans.

Augmented Reality next for NFL: The Pokémon Go brand put augmented reality (AR) on the map last year, which prompted the NFL to ask itself, how do we incorporate the latest phenomenon into a user experience? Mobile developer Yinzcam and digital agency Float Hybrid may have the answer. They’ve created software that enables fans to ‘virtually’ paint their face with their favorite team’s colors or put on an NFL helmet and take a selfie, which can then be shared on social media instantly. The Broncos were the first team to offer this on their team app at the end of last year. This season, the Texans and Eagles have also partnered with the mobile developers, according to a statement. “We are hyper-focused on leveraging innovative technologies to create memorable moments that drive emotional connections with consumers,” Keith Bendes, Float Hybrid’s VP of marketing and strategic partnerships, said in the statement. The new AR software has drawn an official sponsor in Bud Light and has since caught the attention of other NFL teams. It would come as no surprise to see all 32 franchises with this offering by next season.

“Fan Cams” meet football: NFL teams are constantly exploring for additional ways to supplement the stadium experience and make it more interactive for the fans. In today’s “Look at me” culture created by social media, it’s crucial to keep fans entertained and involved. Boston-based company Brizi recognizes that, which is why it created robotic cameras capable of taking a fan’s picture on demand. With Brizi’s technology, a fan using a smartphone can control the robotic camera in the venue and have a picture taken that can be shared in near real-time. Thus far, the company has partnered with the NBA, U.S. Open and Australian Open. However, due to larger stadiums, Brizi is still trying to figure out the logistics of partnering with NFL teams. The solution seems to be using more than one camera. Brizi claims that 74% of fans who attend a sporting event snap a photo, and while several teams currently offer panoramic fan shots, they usually aren’t available until the next day. The ability to take a picture or video on demand and instantly upload it to social media is an enticing stadium enhancement but also a way to increase revenue. The camera also records user data of each fan that requests a photo, which can then be used later on to send them future offerings such as a game ticket or merchandise.

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We’re back with another sports technology blog, examining some of the latest developments in the sports technology industry and how it impacts the football landscape. Here is the latest news from this past week.

Cruz’s tech views: While former NFL receiver Victor Cruz ponders his next move post-playing days, it sounds as if the sports tech arena has his attention. He was recently asked to speak at an Advertising Week event in New York on how mobile technology and data are influencing the future of sports. Regarding virtual reality, Cruz is excited about what’s ahead. “I think just me, from a fan perspective, if I’m able to put on a headset, the VR headset, and be at the 50-yard line to watch Eli Manning at the 30 and I’m behind him and I can see the entire (play)—in real-time—that’s a game-changer,” Cruz said. He also said he believes Instagram has increased fan engagement. “To be able to be somewhere live and stream it, and everyone can tune into your live channel and see where you are, and pretty much walk up to you if they’re a block away or two blocks away, I think that’s also a game-changer.” Don’t be surprised if we hear from Cruz again on these topics in the near future.

NFL brings back NextVR: Speaking of virtual reality, the NFL and NextVR are back for a second season to bring fans an immersive post-game experience, featuring highlights from five 2017 NFL regular-season games. The show will be hosted by former NFL running back Reggie Bush and broadcast personality Elika Sadeghi. Each post-game highlight will showcase the best VR moments from the game and be available to fans on demand. Content will be available for free to fans worldwide on the NFL channel in the NextVR app following each scheduled VR game. The move signals the NFL’s interest in expanding its VR capabilities, though the league is still in the experimentation phase. Games scheduled for broadcast for NFL VR are as follows:

• Packers at Vikings, Sunday, Oct. 15
• Chargers at Patriots, Sunday, Oct. 29
• Cowboys at Falcons, Sunday, Nov. 12
• Broncos at Raiders, Sunday, Nov. 26
• Cowboys at Giants, Sunday, Dec. 10

Amazon releases TNF totals: We previously discussed how Amazon paid $50M for streaming rights to the NFL Thursday Night Football package, five times more than what Twitter paid last year. So, what did it earn them? Amazon reports that Amazon Prime Video, broadcasting the NFL Thursday Night Kickoff pregame show and Thursday Night Football, reached 1.7 million combined viewers in 184 countries and territories and all 50 states, with an average worldwide audience watching for at least thirty seconds hitting 391,000. That’s a mega worldwide demographic, which is probably why Amazon is charging $2.8M for ad packages, according to Reuters. In comparison, the average viewership on Twitter during the 10 live-streamed games was 266,000 last season.

Parting Shot: Social media can be a useful resource for breaking news, as it happens. At the same time, it can also be a very dangerous and costly tool. We often preach to young athletes about the penalties for social media misuse but the warning should be heeded by everyone. The latest example comes from 24-year NFL veteran OL coach Chris Foerster of the Miami Dolphins. A video featuring Foerster went viral Sunday night, which shows him talking into his cell-phone camera before snorting three lines of powdery substance and then stating he was off to a meeting. It didn’t take him long to become an ex-Dolphins coach. Here’s a good rule of thumb to adhere to: assume everything in your phone can/will be hacked. Assume everything on social media can/will be viewed, even if you delete it. So, the next time you hit send, post or record, ask yourself, would I want the world to see this?

Thank you for reading. Be sure to check back at Succeed In Football for weekly sports tech updates, football industry trends and latest news updates. Do you work in football and are looking for an edge? Be sure to visit our partner site: www.InsideTheLeague.com!

With fewer viewers watching NFL games on TV, the race for online video content amongst social media heavyweights is on. The NFL remains the most valuable programming in the United States, and while Facebook recently unveiled Facebook Watch, a new platform for shows, Amazon Prime has been at the forefront with its Over-The-Top content (OTT). Here’s a look at some of the latest developments from this week:

TNF comes to Amazon: Earlier this year, Amazon won the rights to stream the NFL Thursday Night Football package to the tune of $50M, which was significantly more than the $10M Twitter paid the previous year. They outbid companies such as Google, Apple and Facebook. TNF kicks off on Amazon Prime tonight, with the Bears visiting the Packers. It’s the first of 11 streamed games that will be made available to their millions of subscribers across the globe, which includes over 200 countries. Some of the branded programming content includes the Amazon TNF Kickoff Show featuring Tiki Barber and celebrity chef Curtis Stone and Trivia with Alexa, in tandem with Amazon’s custom viewing boxes. The brown boxes, colored like a football, have a “Thursday Night Football” logo and a “Stream Live with Prime Membership” bug. With the 2018 TNF streaming package soon up for bid, you can be sure their competitors will be watching closely to determine how much this NFL offering is actually worth. If last year’s negotiation is any indication, the bid for next year’s rights could exceed $100M. 

NFL, Facebook partner: The NFL and Facebook announced a multi-year deal Tuesday to deliver official NFL video and other types of content to fans around the world. The NFL will publish NFL Game Recaps and official highlights from all 256 regular-season games (as well as the playoffs and Super Bowl) that will be available globally on Facebook. In addition, NFL Media, the League’s owned and operated media division, will distribute uniquely packaged content from its award-winning production arm, NFL Films, on Facebook’s Watch platform. NFL Turning Point, Sound FX and NFL Game Recaps will be posted each week during the NFL season and will be available to people in the U.S. on Watch. “We’re excited for Watch to become a destination for NFL fans to catch up on the latest on-field action and connect with one another,” said Dan Reed, Facebook’s Head of Global Sports Partnerships, in a released statement. “These full-game recaps and shows will deliver comprehensive coverage while enabling the active NFL fan communities on Facebook to watch and debate the top storylines from each week.”

Head help ahead: In other NFL-related tech news, the league announced that it has awarded a total of $426,000 in grants to three firms as part of its HeadHealthTECH Challenge, which is designed to advance improvements in those areas. Baytech Products of Asheville, N.C., was awarded a $178,000 grant to build and test its prototype HitGard, a multi-component helmet system. Also receiving $148,000 will be Windpact of Leesburg, Va., to support prototyping and testing of its Crash Cloud, an impact liner system using restricted air flow and foam in helmets. Getting $100,000 will be 2ND Skull of Pittsburgh, Pa., to further evaluate the effectiveness of its skull cap in reducing impact forces and developing a second-generation version. Launched in November 2016, the TECH Challenge series is operated and managed on behalf of Football Research Inc., by Duke University’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute.

In order to cater to the ‘superfan’ among the NFL’s most passionate supporters, Super Bowl champion and Seahawks QB Russell Wilson has announced the launch of his new app, TraceMe.

The new project provides an immersive, interactive and content-filled experience between fan and celebrity, according to the company. Users will have access to a weekly Wilson-led podcast as well as insight and tips on how to train like the QB.

“Now that it’s football season, my No. 1 priority is leading the Seahawks to another Super Bowl victory,” Wilson said in a statement. “TraceMe is going to help me on that journey by providing me with a direct line to my most passionate supporters.”

The app recently announced a $9 million Series A funding round led by Madrona Venture Group. Among a group of angel investors is Bezos Expeditions, the personal investment company of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

Here’s a look at other new developments on the grid horizon, courtesy of Rick Serritella.

Lynch Out Loud: The comeback of Raiders OH Marshawn Lynch is paying dividends for the budding reality show star. That is not a misprint folks. The character once known for not speaking to the media at the Super Bowl will now be the focal point of a reality show produced by Bleacher Report. The show, “No Script,” will begin streaming this month on Facebook Watch as the social media titan attempts to compete with Amazon and Netflix with original sports video content. While their new video offerings are barely even a month old, Facebook has opened its bank account to ensure this project gets off the ground quickly. Lynch’s deal is reportedly in the millions, according to Reuters, while the Wall Street Journal reports that Facebook intends to invest up to a billion dollars on original shows.

More reality programming: As the market for original sports content heats up, Amazon announced a new show featuring the University of Michigan football team and head coach Jim Harbaugh. The show will spotlight players and coaches in day-to-day life on campus and provide an inside look at practice and game day. “We are proud to partner with Amazon Prime Video in documenting our University of Michigan student-athletes’ daily experiences and lifelong lessons learned both on the football field and in the classroom,” Harbaugh said in a statement. It will be produced by BTN Orginals and the Montag Group, and will be released in January. Meanwhile, the NFL Network has two other docu-series ready for launch. “Football Town: Valdosta, GA,” is produced by Panthers QB Cam Newton and chronicles the 2016 Valdosta High School football team. The new series airs Tuesday nights and will be followed by “Elite 11,” which tells the story of the nation’s best young athletes as they look to follow in the footsteps of others such as No. 1 overall draft picks Matthew Stafford, Andrew Luck, Jameis Winston and Jared Goff.

Six more seconds: Last week, we examined the introduction of six-second ads on NFL broadcasts. It didn’t take long for other to follow. According to Adweek, look for six-second ads to begin appearing on YouTube, Twitter and LinkedIn, among other platforms. It’s the latest attempt to keep advertising relevant as modern attention spans decrease. In a new ad campaign aimed at potential advertisers, YouTube claims  that millennials and members of Generation Z aren’t the only demographics that watch online video. The plan is to eventually phase out longer ads traditionally used at the outset of such content.