Sony’s 8K Hawk-Eye Technology Will Measure All NFL First Downs

Starting this upcoming season, the National Football League (NFL) is fully embracing Sony’s Hawk-Eye technology for line-to-gain measurements in NFL games.

This move has been in development for a while. Initial reports surfaced a little over a year ago that the NFL was considering moving away from first-down chains for line-to-gain measurements. A few months later, Sony and the NFL, longtime technology partners, said that Hawk-Eye Innovations would continue to evolve NFL officiating and sideline technologies, including further exploration of replacing manual line-to-gain measurements.

Today’s announcement builds upon what the NFL and Sony said last year, reflecting the NFL’s continued commitment to improving officiating consistency using the latest imaging technology. Sony’s Hawk-Eye virtual measurement system will enable the NFL “to accurately and efficiently measure the distance between the spotted ball and the line to gain.” This new technology was tested extensively last season, and given that it will be fully adopted for the 2025 NFL season, the tests appear to have gone very well.

“The NFL and Sony are integrating world-class on-field officiating with state-of-the-art technology to advance football excellence,” says Troy Vincent, executive vice president of football operations at the NFL. “Combining the art of officiating with Sony’s trusted Hawk-Eye system is a healthy recipe for success in our commitment to raising the standards of accuracy, consistency and efficiency. Replay technology and data-driven insights from Sony’s Hawk-Eye Innovations aid us in advancing our efforts toward the future of football.”

Sony says that its Hawk-Eye virtual measurement technology will be installed at all 30 NFL stadiums and the international venues that host occasional regular season matches, including games in Sao Paulo, London, Berlin, and, for the first time, Madrid and Dublin.

The system relies upon six 8K cameras for optically tracking the position of the ball, and the system will be centrally operated from NFL’s Art McNally GameDay Central Officiating Center (AMGC) in New York. The Hawk-Eye measurement system will fully integrate with the league’s existing replay system.

Officials at AMGC notify on-field officials of the correct measurements, which are virtually recreated in real-time for in-stadium and broadcast audiences. While this is not instant — it takes around 30 seconds to perform these measurements and recreations — Hawk-Eye is significantly faster than manually moving chains from the sidelines onto the field, stretching them taut, and then manually measuring the line to gain. That “chain gang” process often takes over a minute.

Sony’s Hawk-Eye technology is utilized in 23 of the top 25 global sports leagues.

“We have always been passionate about working with the leading global sports to pioneer change. Our ultimate ambition is to make sports fairer, safer and more engaging,” says Rufus Hack, CEO of Hawk-Eye, Pulselive at Beyond Sports. “We’re incredibly excited to extend our partnership with the NFL on the important virtual measurement initiative, to continue to enhance the game for players, officials and most importantly fans.”

“Sony’s longstanding relationship with the NFL is built upon our joint desire to innovate and bring audiences closer to the action, and Sony’s Hawk-Eye virtual measurement system further activates on those commitments,” adds Neal Manowitz, president and COO of Sony Electronics, North America. “We look forward to providing more excitement to passionate fans as we help transform the game in ways that are only possible through the power of creativity and technology.”

Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.