The National Football League (NFL) is renowned for utilising technology to support decision-making processes across ever facet of American Football.
Technology gives NFL coaches access to limitless data and helps match officials make more consistent decisions in a sport where the margins are extremely fine.
It also supports numerous aspects of the fan experience by significantly enhancing crucial elements such as live streaming and sports betting.
Many NFL 2025 season predictions have been formulated using data generated by the technology used by teams to inform their operations.
With that in mind, read on as we look at some of the new innovations which will be utilised by the NFL when the 2025 season gets underway.
NFL teams up with Microsoft for a new AI era
The NFL and Microsoft recently announced a multi-year strategic partnership extension to help usher in a new era of artificial intelligence (AI) innovation.
Microsoft Copilot and Azure AI will enhance the way coaches and players connect insights from the sideline to play on the field, and transform off-field operations.
The Sideline Viewing System (SVS) powered by Copilot will a key element of the link-up, helping teams make data-driven decisions in a more efficient way.
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay is a big fan of the SVS system. He believes the benefits will be felt not only during games, but also in the week leading up to matchday.
“If we can really be able to say that the amount of information we want to give to a player can be provided in a digestible manner in 30 minutes as opposed to an hour, well now, that’s 30 minutes he can spend maybe resting and recovering,” McVay said.
“That’s something we’re always hunting up, because time is one of our most valuable resources. If we’re able to get a lot more done in less time, I think that allows us to be at our best.”
Sony’s Hawk-Eye Tech will speed up decision-making
The NFL will use Sony’s Hawk-Eye Virtual Measurement Technology as the primary method for measuring the distance between the spotted ball and the line to gain this season.
The digital measurement technology will serve as an efficient alternative to the traditional process of walking chains onto the field to measure distances.
Hawk-Eye will be deployed across all 30 NFL stadiums and the international venues hosting NFL games and operated from the NFL’s game day control centre in New York.
Virtual recreations of measurements are produced in real time for fans inside the stadium and the broadcast audience, thus improving communication with them.
Used in 23 of the top 25 global sports leagues, Hawk-Eye’s technology will bring the NFL into line with sports such as soccer, tennis and cricket in terms of accurate decision-making.
DAZN enhances its international NFL coverage
DAZN will deliver even more ways for fans to engage with the NFL in more than 200 markets outside of the US and China this season.
With NFL Game Pass, fans will be able to stream every game live including the 2025 International Games and the season-ending Super Bowl.
Upgrades for this season include a new ‘Content Select and Switch’ feature, which allows users to choose the content they want to view from a single tile.
Localised commentary in several international languages is also available, while Multiview enables subscribers to watch up to four games simultaneously.
Users can also watch every Thursday Night Football and Sunday Night Football game in High Dynamic Range (HDR) with the NFL Game Pass on DAZN.
