4 Cool Technologies Powering The Super Bowl

Super Bowl Tech

As you may have heard, the Super Bowl will kick off this Sunday at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. But did you know about the different technologies that are behind making the biggest football game of the year what it is?

From equipment on the sidelines, telecommunications solutions used to broadcast the game, wireless networks for a strong signal for all those in the building and even electronics embedded in the jerseys of the players -- all of them are crucial.

Here are four cool technologies that go into making the Super Bowl what it is.

Level 3 TV Services

Level 3 has been behind the video broadcast of the Super Bowl for the past 25 years and will be again this year. The Fortune 500 company’s fiber optic network is directly connected to the University of Phoenix Stadium, the site of the Super Bowl Sunday, and will allow the NFL and NBC Sports to broadcast the game to the projected 120 million viewers on television in addition to secondary screens such as mobile devices. The Broomfield, Colo.-based company provides the same service to a number of sports venues around the world in addition to every NFL game throughout the season, such as the Australian Open, European soccer, and Formula One racing.

Cisco And CDW Wireless Services

Cisco and CDW are in a partnership to provide wireless service to the University of Phoenix Stadium for the Arizona Cardinals.

With more than 80,000 people slated to be at the game, wireless data will be downloaded at a high rate. Cisco said it is working with more than 275 stadiums in more than 40 countries with its connected sports solutions.

"What’s taking place this weekend is really emblematic of a global phenomenon," said Michael Caponigro, global solutions marketing lead for Cisco Sports & Entertainment. "In the past year we’ve seen almost a 2X increase in the amount of data moving across these wireless networks. I don’t think it’s a stretch that you’re going to see similar percentage increases over the next couple years."

Microsoft Surface Pro 3

You may have noticed during the season that coaches are using Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3 on the sidelines rather than traditional game books. Microsoft and the NFL entered into a $400 million agreement prior to the season that involved coaches using Microsoft’s flagship tablet instead of a playbook while also using it for video replays. This is the first tablet that has been allowed to be used on an NFL sideline.

Player Tracking Technology

During the game, the uniforms of all players on both the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks will be fitted with tracking technology by Zebra Technologies. As part of the company’s real-time location system, transmitters will be placed inside the pads of players to track their speed, location and distance on the field. This information will be shown on the video boards of the stadium during the Super Bowl. This is the first Super Bowl the league will be able to track player stats in real time.