4 ms·

I'm pretty sure it was ESPN and the NFL? The creator of the tech seems to indicate that and 1998 predates the first go around with the XFL. https://www.sri.com

I'm pretty sure it was ESPN and the NFL? The creator of the tech seems to indicate that and 1998 predates the first go around with the XFL. https://www.sri.com/press/story/the-first-down-marker-how-technology-changed-the-game/ https://www.sri.com/press/story/the-first-down-marker-how-te...

dataflow360 2y ago
The company with the original tech was called Princeton Video Imaging, in NJ. I interned for them one summer in... 1996? They had sold their tech to Padres and Giants broadcasts initially to put ads on the outfield. The first down line came a bit later and was a much better use of their tech. Princeton Video Imaging even got a shout out (1-line) at the end of every NFL game for a while.
- emchammer 2y ago
  This sounds a lot like the system which drew the halo and trails on the hockey puck for NHL games, FoxTrax.
  - dunham 2y ago
    Yeah, it's been a while, but I recall hockey getting it first, people not liking it, and then it working out for the football version.