NFL, Zebra kick off player tracking technology

Here's a development that adds new meaning to the term "item-level RFID." The National Football League (NFL) and Zebra Technologies have partnered to outfit 17 NFL stadiums with tracking technology that, for the first time, will track individual players' performance.

Zebra receivers installed throughout the stadiums will communicate with radio-frequency identification (RFID) transmitters placed inside the shoulder pads of each player. The technology will capture precise location measurements, in real time, during the game. Zebra will collect data on each player's position, speed, and distance. The information will then be registered and compiled into a database.

The technology will enable the NFL to accurately capture player data, such as acceleration and total distance run, the NFL and Zebra said in a joint statement.

Vishal Shah, the NFL's vice president of media strategy, said the technology will help teams improve training, scouting, and evaluation by providing deeper insight into a player's performance. It will also help teams and the NFL's partners enhance "the fan experience," Shah said.