5G-enabled Devices Creating New Possibilities in Sports

The fifth generation of wireless networks, also known as 5G is predicted to have the capabilities to change the technology we use every day forever, and thousands of sports fans have already experienced a piece of the network’s new capabilities.

The network is the next evolution in wireless networks that is the result of several technological advancements that have been made in recent years. At its core, it promises significantly faster speeds and lower latency, which is the delay between when an action is initiated on a network and when it is completed. When playing a video game online, the time between when the player presses a button on the controller and when the corresponding action happens on screen is an example of latency.

Lower latency and significantly faster speeds mean 5G technology could open up a world of technological possibilities. Current 4G technology has a limit of handling 100 megabits per second of data, while 5G networks are estimated to have a maximum speed 100 times as fast. According to the Consumer Technology Association, that would mean at the maximum speed of the network, you could download an average two-hour movie in 3.6 seconds with 5G, compared to six minutes on 4G and about 26 hours on a 3G network.

5G networks are still largely in their infancy, as Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile and AT&T have all started to introduce the new technology in different areas across the country. However, one of the primary ways these networks are being tested and showcased to the public is at sporting events.

Sporting events have become a common place to experiment with technology, as there is a guarantee of thousands of people in one place, almost all of which have access to a smartphone that can take part in the experiments. In 2016, the Cleveland Cavaliers gave away silicone rings for fans to wear, and when the ring was looked at through the camera in the team’s app, the ring turned into an augmented reality (AR) version of the real championship ring that was being given to the players and coaches that night.

With 5G, however, that simple ring could have been turned into a significantly larger display. This past season, Verizon introduced 5G technology to 13 NFL stadiums with plans to reach at least 30 by the end of next season, and AT&T brought their 5G capabilities to the stadium with their name on it, AT&T stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys.

The Cowboys worked with Nexus Studios and Scape Technologies to give fans a new experience. An app for 5G compatible Samsung smartphones used AR to show fans the field through their camera, with giant digital models of different players with their statistics next to them, constantly updating throughout the game.

The idea with projects like the championship ring or the giant AR players and statistics is to give fans another level of access and information to the game. With 5G, fans can experience and learn about the game going on in front of them to a level that was previously only possible watching a TV broadcast. On a football broadcast, for example, TV crews have designers spending most of the first half creating a graphic to be used at halftime that is structurally similar to what users of the Cowboys app saw at their game last season.

Compared to that graphic being on screen for a maximum of two minutes and never being seen again, 5G and companies like Nexus give fans the opportunity to see a graphic like it any time they want, creating more informed and entertained spectators.

The possibilities of ways to improve the fan experience seem endless, and could even include cameras in the helmets of football players, allowing fans to see the action from a player’s perspective almost instantly. Virtual reality (VR) and AR could be used in tandem to provide fans with a headset that can provide them with several different versions of how to watch the game taking place directly in front of them.

Fans could see AR statistics overlaid on the field directly next to the players they apply to, or other metrics like a player’s current sprint speed or their shot-making probability based on past statistics, among dozens of other possibilities. Teams and technology companies are working together to create these new experiences, hoping to continue to draw fans to see games in person.

Teams know 5G could cause people to stay home, as the increased speeds and video capabilities paired with virtual reality technology could make streaming sporting events nearly identical to the real thing. This could create a difficult balance for teams and fans to strike, which could lead to the creation of exclusive content that can only be experienced by people who are attending the game.

5G technology also has significant uses outside of improving fan experience. 5G enabled cameras can operate entirely wirelessly, which can allow broadcast crews to move cameras with ease. This could open the possibility of performing broadcasts from non-conventional angles, providing new information to broadcasters and fans alike.

With the increased mobility of cameras, instant replay could also be improved drastically, as new angles could be recorded and shown to officials instantly, making the replay review process significantly faster and more accurate. 5G technology could also lead to things like tracking chips being placed in uniforms and equipment that constantly relay information, which can reveal the precise location a player touched the ground or reveal whether or not a football reached the end zone within a crowd of players at the goal line.

The rise of wearable technology paired with 5G networks could also provide team medical personnel with new and improved metrics and tendencies. This would allow them to better understand their players and how they move, which could lead to improved treatment of injuries, and even help prevent injuries as high-risk movements could be corrected.

In rugby, Sports and Wellbeing Analytics created a “smart mouthguard” worn by players. It is identical to a normal mouthguard, except it contains accelerometers and gyroscopes, which can detect the amount of force a player’s head and body are receiving, which can help diagnose concussions. If that technology was brought to football and paired with a 5G network, that information could be instantly relayed to team doctors, who could use the information to decide whether to remove a player if they believe he sustained a concussion on a previous play.

For the time being, 5G networks are mostly being installed in larger cities, as the technological upgrades being made require actual construction and installation of hardware, which works best in densely populated areas because of its shorter-range waves. Large-scale consumer use is likely still a few years away as the networks are constructed and more 5G-compatible smartphones are released, as some experts have cautioned against buying one this early as the technology is still not fully developed.

Verizon’s vice president of technology has said the company expects their network will be able to cover around 50% of the United States population by 2021, and they will continue to work with phone manufacturers to improve their network and the technology in the phones.

T-Mobile has introduced a nationwide 5G network, and says they are aiming to cover 200 million Americans by the end of 2020.

Outside of sports, consumers currently in the range of a 5G network with a compatible device can utilize faster upload and download speeds, along with faster access to apps like Uber or online games. Eventually, the network could expand to things like Internet-connected home appliances, wearable technology, and cars, which could provide improved information on things like traffic and weather.

As with any new technology, there are policy questions as to how the technology will be allowed to spread. Cities, states and the Federal Communications Commission have to decide which companies will be permitted to construct and install the equipment necessary for the 5G networks, and where they will be allowed to place the equipment.

Verizon began installing the new equipment in dozens of cities, including certain areas of Columbus and Cleveland in the summer of 2019 and launched their network in December.

All four companies with an existing network have expressed their commitment to expanding access and continuing to develop the technology. Until general consumer access is more widely available in a few years, the best place to experience the potential of 5G will likely be a professional sporting event, as long as you have a compatible device.

(Been trying to talk to someone for Verizon for over a week, should get something Monday, sports teams are apparently incredibly unresponsive, I should have started trying sooner I didn’t think it would take so long.)

Aaron: Text story, research and charts

Phillip: Interviews and Video

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