Anyone who’s shopped at a grocery store, enjoyed a meal in a restaurant, or simply walked down the street recently has likely noticed—or at least been exposed to—just how big of a role technology plays in today’s society. Countless individuals stare at their phones while walking, talking, and completing everyday tasks—and for good reason. Their phones provide them with access to a tremendous amount of information and data, the ability to instantly speak with others, play games, watch videos, and do much more.

The point is that technology—including mobile devices, the internet, and other forms—has directly impacted everything we do.

This impact hasn’t been lost on football, and specifically, it’s revolutionized the way prospects are scouted and recruited by colleges and professional teams alike. For interested fans, up-to-date coaches, and everyone else, let’s take a look at how exactly technology has impacted football and the sport’s recruiting process!

Technology’s Impact on the Way Football is Played and Watched

Technology has incrementally affected the way football is played and watched, and now, the game is riddled with high-tech practices that’ve improved it for the better. For some readers, the following information will be something of a walk down memory lane; for others who’ve grown up knowing only the technologically advanced football of today, it may be a simple recap. Regardless, consider the following ways technology has impacted and is impacting how football is played and watched:

–By offering high-definition footage of every game to viewers around the country.

–By using split-second digital timers, scoring systems, and statistic calculators to provide a more complete and precise look at players and games.

–By using digital image enhancement technology to size-up plays, calculate down distances, and more.

–By using instant replays to review and potentially alter ultra-important on-field calls.

The most interesting part of these technological impacts on football is that they’re just the tip of the iceberg. Undoubtedly, additional changes will be integrated in the near future, and these changes will also improve and aid the quality of the game, as opposed to fundamentally altering it.

Technology’s Impact on the Way Football Players are Recruited

It’s clear that technology presently plays a tremendous role in every area of football, but the area of the sport that’s been most affected by these breakthroughs is likely recruiting. Scouts and recruiters now have a number of tools and an abundance of information at their disposal—resources that can help them to decide whether or not to bring a player on board. Consider the following ways technology comes in handy (and can come in handy, at the very least) for recruiters:

–By providing high-definition footage of any player in the country; this includes practices, games, interviews, highlights, and much more.

–By providing up-to-date statistics, facts, and irrefutable numbers behind each and every football player’s career—numbers that can more or less paint a mostly accurate picture of how a player performs.

–By allowing for split-second communication between recruiters and players, as well as split-second viewing of the aforementioned information. Bluntly put, the days of a football talent going unnoticed by scouts, between social media and the ability to send highlight reels away, it’s nearly impossible to be missed.

These points have culminated in a way that allows recruiters to perform their professional duties in less time, and with impressive digital assistance. On the other hand, technology has made football recruiting additionally competitive, and to an extent, the stakes are higher than they’ve ever been before.

For example, the time it takes a recruiter to review a submission and watch a highlight reel may directly impact how quickly a phone call is made and a meeting is set up with a player of interest. A recruiter who’s on top of things can receive a positive submission in the morning, call its corresponding player in the afternoon, and jump on a plane for a meeting over dinner.

From the players to the recruiters, everyone moves faster in football today.

The next time one’s watching a football game on television or attending live, remember that the instant replay, large screen, split-second timers, and overhead drones aren’t the only examples of how technology’s changed the sport. Each and every player on the field made it there through the use of today’s digital innovations—and that’s pretty cool.

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