NFL to replace chains with Sony's 8K cameras and Hawk-Eye technology for measuring first downs

Forward-looking: The NFL has announced it will use Sony's high-tech Hawk-Eye cameras instead of traditional chains to measure the line to gain. The new technology is expected to speed up the process of determining first downs, but it won't necessarily take human error out of the equation. The change will take effect in the 2025 – 26 season, beginning with the kickoff game on September 4 in Philadelphia. The NFL expects the technology to add "a new level of precision and speed" to the decision-making process, offering a faster and more advanced alternative to the long-standing method of walking chains onto the field to manually measure the ball's distance from the line to gain. Hawk-Eye technology, which uses six 8K cameras for optical tracking of the ball's position, will be deployed at all 30 NFL stadiums in the U.S., as well as at international venues hosting NFL games. The system will be operated from the NFL's Art McNally GameDay Central Officiating Center (AMGC) in New York and ... Read full article.